Mahi, Crab And Tomatoes, Oh My!

By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Wednesday - October 11, 2006

E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS

| Share

Del.icio.us

Ruth’s Chris Steak House has been an integral part of the Honolulu dining scene since the late 1980s and later opened two restaurants on Maui.

Now residents and visitors to the Big Island can enjoy Ruth’s Chris unique “sizzle” at its latest location, The Shops at Mauna Lani.

Lots of Honolulu folks were on hand to help out with the Oct. 9 opening, including Hawaii regional vice president Paul Ah Cook, regional executive chef Nawai Kekoolani, and regional director of sales and marketing Alex Kirley.

They were there to cheer on opening general manager Charly Yoshida, the long-time Big Island leader in the hotel, restaurant and wine industry, and his assistant general manager Kyle Nishimura, originally from Hilo.

But it’s award-winning executive chef Darcy Ambrosio who is creating not only the Ruth’s Chris signature dishes known and loved the world over, but also the Hawaii-inspired specials. He’s incorporating local ingredients whenever possible for his specials, and here shares one of his special recipes for MidWeek readers to try.

The classic beurre blanc is a sauce of white wine and shallots reduced, thickened with butter, and served warm with seafood, poultry or vegetables. Beurre noir is a sauce of butter cooked until brown, often flavored with chopped parsley, capers and vinegar, and usually served with fish.

ASIAN CRAB CRUSTED MAHIMAHI WITH ROASTED TOMATO

BEURRE BLANC

Serves four people

* 4-6 oz. mahimahi filets

Ingredients for Asian Crab Crust:

* 8 oz. pasteurized canned crab meat
* 2 T. red bell peppers, diced
* 1 T. red onion, diced
* 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
* 4 T. mayonnaise (may use light mayonnaise)
* ¹/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
* ¹/4 cup green onion, chopped
* 1 T. soy sauce (may use low sodium)
* 1 tsp. sesame oil
* 1 T. kim chee base

Combine all ingredients.

Ingredients for Roasted Tomato Beurre Blanc

* 2 tomatoes, sliced
* 1 onion, sliced
* 2 T. olive oil
* 1 T. tomato paste
* ¹/2 cup white wine
* 8 oz. unsalted butter
* Salt and pepper to taste

Procedures for Beurre Blanc:

In stainless steel bowl, toss tomato, onions and olive oil. Add to roasting pan or pie tin and roast at 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Add to blender with white wine and tomato paste; blend until smooth. Then on low speed, slowly add butter. Season with salt and white pepper.

Procedures for fish:

In medium-high heated sauté pan, add olive oil and sear mahimahi on both sides for 30 seconds each. Set on side sheet pan. Add crab crust to top side of fish and bake at 325 degrees for 8 minutes. Serve with sauce drizzled over fish or on the side.

(Diana Helfand, author of “Hawaii Light and Healthy” and “The Best of Heart-y Cooking,” has taught nutrition in the Kapiolani Community College culinary arts program.)