Taste of Puna #11 Results

March 26, 2007

Keaau, Hawaii - Misty Inouye was the grand prize winner at the 11^th Annual “Taste of Puna” Cook-Off held at Puna Fresh Foods on Saturday, March 24, 2007, held at the Keaau Shopping Center. Misty’s winning entry “Puna Papaya Creme Brulee” won her a check for $2,000, part of the event’s total cash purse of $4,650. Entries were limited to the first 50, with 50 participants competing for this year’s honors. The event was well attended and drew a large crowd who waited anxiously to taste and enjoy the provocative and creative dishes from Puna. All entries participated in only one open division that drew participates from all age groups, occupations, and ethnic origins; it was a super fun event to bring out the goodness of Puna.

Winning Best of Category were: Kara Adanalian – Salad: Puna Tuna Salad with Tropical Slaw; Thomas Jones – Pupu: Thai Fish Cakes with Puna Dipping Sauce; Adil Ghiasi – Entrée: Seared Ahi with Garlic and Avocado Sauce; Michelle Grace – Dessert: Big Island Bread Pudding; Elijah Reed – Beverage: Kato’s Tropical Delight; and Jim Ferrell – Puna Coffee. They each won $200.00 and a “Taste of Puna” award certificate.

The coffee cupping drew four entries from the district of Puna and was east Hawaii’s first coffee cupping; the category was sponsored by Hilo Coffee Mill located in Mt. View. Farmers brought in their green beans, Hilo Coffee Mill roasted all the coffee beans the same way using a light roast which allowed the judges to taste the coffee bean; then the coffee was scored for aroma, body, bitterness, acidity, finish, and overall balance.

Best of Show winners included: Rory Valle - Puna Banana Crusted Fish; Kathy Walker - Puna Tropical Cheesecake; Amy Ketner – Puna Pesto and Goat Cheese Finger Sandwiches; Siota York - Mac Nut Stuffed Mushrooms; Greg Henkel – Ulu ‘Uala Curry Pie; Gabby Suttle – Puna Express Cheesecake; Lovey Grantz – Pod of Paradise; Jenny Dunklee – Orange Crepes with Bananas and Mango Sauces; Meka Kaiser – Besto Pesto Pupu Bread; Karyn Yoshizawa – Wasabi with Onions and Tomatoes; Kirin Jay – Coffee, Mac Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies. Winners each won $100.00 and an award certificate.

Honorable Mention winners were: Rosa Ahrens – Steamed Cooking Bananas; Joe Bill – Ku’uipo Macadamia Salmon with a Lilikoi Pesto Sauce; Anthony Person – Puna Pineapple Sensation, Milagrosa Conol – Heavenly Coconut Cream Pudding; Shane Delatte – Pina Colada Mahi Mahi, Sandra Berson – Ono Ribs, Melanie Roskie – Chocolate Chip Brownies; Kristen Luning – Puna’s Own Zucchini – Tomato Bake; Mark Millar – Seafood Gau Gee; and Jain Thompson – EZ “Toooo Grand” Curry Rice Salad. Each received $100.00 and an award certificate.

Donations from the public tasting went to the beneficiary of this year’s event – Best Friend Camp. A Puna based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; Best Friend Camp was selected as the event’s beneficiary for their role in building stronger families and encouraging positive parenting. Best Friend Camp is located at the popular Pohiki Bay in Puna.

Judging was based on taste, creativity, products from Puna, presentation, and their written recipe. Judges were: Barry “Cutty” Cutler – TV Host of “Cook‘in with Cutty”; Audrey Wilson – Hawaii Tribune Herald; Lee Harlow – Volcano House; Alan Okuda – Hawaii Community College Culinary Program; Chris Scott – Paradise Bar and Grill; Richard Nelson – First Cook-Off Winner; Margie Hanselman – cooking enthusiast and cook book publisher; Emily Naole – Councilwoman; Jay Yoshimoto – Councilman, Bill Walter – W.H. Shipman; Denyse Temple – Puna News; and Miriam Hamasaki - Miriam’s Cookies.

Making their public debut was the group Positive Motion– Vaughn Valentino, Joe Tuaefe, Bryson Jelf, Theodore Pedro, Desmond Olivera, and John Kuloloia; they are a young group of musicians who got their start at Solid Rock Ministries – Pahoa.

Major sponsors of the event were Puna Fresh Foods, Wiki-Wiki Mart, and Keaau Shopping Center; category sponsors Cal-Kona Produce (Salad Category) and Hilo Coffee Mill (Coffee Cupping Category). Other co-sponsors were: Meadow Gold Dairies, Suisan Company, Hilo Fish Company, THY & Associates, Rainbow Inventory Service, Aloha Security, Paradise Beverage, Better Brands, Pepsi-Cola, WH Shipman, KWXX-B97; O’Keefe’s Bakery, and Asia Trans.

Coordinators of the event were Robert Keliihoomalu, Jr., Imelda Castaneda, Dilla Oba, Kanani Niles, Marvin Park, Tyrone Thorn, Debra Rabang, Jenny Hamada, Alex Fernandez, Lorraine Kobayashi, Glenn Arakawa, Fawnette Lake, Sharon Raniada, Wes Perreira, Noah Luis, Amy Okuyama, Valerie Ferrari, Alice Moon, and Robin Krakauer. Carl Okuyama and Margaret Strubel were co-chairpersons of the project. For more information on the event call (808) 937-4392 or visit the sponsor’s website at www.suresave.com, “Sharing the taste of Hawaii with the world”

Puna Papaya Creme Brulee

By Misty Inouye

Grand Prize Winner – Taste of Puna” 2006 Cook-Off

Ingredients:

1 Puna grown vanilla bean

4 cups heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup Puna grown papaya puree (2-3 papayas)

Zest of 1 Puna grown lemon

8 egg yolks

2 Tbsp. sugar for sprinkling

Preparation:

Place a 9x13 inch pan filled with approximately 3 1/2 cups of water in the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape seeds from pod. Combine seeds, heavy cream, sugar and salt. Bring cream mixture to a boil then remove from heat. Cut papaya and discard seeds. Scoop out papaya into a food processor. Pulse for 15 seconds. Add lemon zest and papaya puree to cream mixture, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm papaya cream mixture in to the eggs and mix thoroughly. Strain combined mixture.

Fill 12 ramekins 3/4 full with mixture. Place ramekins in water bath. Bake for 40-55 minutes or until set. Remove ramekins from baking dish and cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight. Repeat baking process for remaining 12 ramekins.

Place 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of sugar atop each Creme Brulee. Carefully use a portable torch to caramelize sugar. Enjoy!

Makes 24 - 1oz. portions

SALAD CATEGORY WINNER

Puna Tuna Salad with Tropical Slaw

By Kara Andanalian

Get PDF

PUPU CATEGORY WINNER

Puna Fish Cakes (2 ways) with Noni Vinaigrette and Cream Sauce

By Thomas Jones

2 lb Puna Ono split in half

2 qt fish stock

Poach fish in stock over medium heat until done.

For fried -cook just under done, no over-cooking.

Set stock aside.

Fried Cakes:

Break up 1/2 of fish into lumps, chop other 1/2 and mix. Add 3 T Bechamel sauce; salt/pepper to taste. Form into little balls or patties and lightly fry with 3 T grapeseed or olive oil. Use leftover sauce to dress. Garnish with cilantro and waewaeiole seaweed.

Fresh Cakes:

Break up like in fried cake directions. Add 2 T chopped Puna scallions, 3 T Noni Vinaigrette, 2 purple potatoes (peeled, steamed, and diced).

Fish Stock:

4 qt water/fish head (local)

2 ea. Puna carrots & celery

1" fresh Puna ginger

10 peppercorns

3 kafir lime leaves

3 cloves garlic w/ skin

Simmer all ingredients over low heat 2-3 hours or until reduced by half. Set aside.

Bechamel Sauce:

3 T butter

4 c milk

salt, pepper, pinch nutmeg

juice of 2 Puna Meyer lemons

Melt butter in sauce pan, whisk in flour, add milk and let thicken for about 15-20 minutes. Add rest of ingredients; cook on low heat until done. Cool 5-10 minutes.

Noni Vinaigrette:

2 chopped Puna Thai red chilis

2 T fresh Puna ginger juice

1/2 c olive oil

1/2 c rice vinegar

1 T Puna sugar

3 T fresh Puna Noni juice

salt & pepper to taste

Simmer stock and add ingredients. Reduce over low heat for about 15-20 minutes.

ENTRÉE CATEGORY WINNER

Roots and Herb Seared Ahi

By Adil Ghiasi

DESSERT CATEGORY WINNER

Big Island Bread Pudding with Coconut Honey Sauce

By Michelle Grace

Bread Pudding:

1 loaf cinnamon bread, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 c Puna white sugar

1/2 c Puna brown sugar

2 c whole milk

2 c half & half

1/2 c butter

1/4 t salt

4 eggs

2 t vanilla

1/4 t almond extract

2 Keaau bananas, chopped

1 15z can crushed pineapple, well drained

1 c Puna Mac Nuts, toasted & chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13"x9" pan. In small bowl mix together bananas and pineapple until combined.

In medium sauce pan combine white & brown sugars, milk, half & half, butter & salt. Heat over low flame until sugar & butter are melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

In small bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Slowly add to the milk mixture whisking constantly until combined. Set aside.

Spread half of the bread cubes in the pan and sprinkle with half of the banana mixture. Repeat with remaining bread and banana. Slowly pour egg/milk mixture over bread & fruit until completely saturated. Sprinkle with macadamia nuts & bake for 55-60 minutes or until golden-brown, puffy and there is no liquid visible when punctured.

Coconut Honey Sauce:

1 13.5z can coconut milk

1/2 c Keaau Bee Happy Christmas Berry Honey

1/2 t ground ginger

1/8 t freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 t salt

2 T water

4 t corn starch

2 T butter

1/16 t almond extract

1 t vanilla

In small bowl whisk together water and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

In medium sauce pan, bring coconut milk, honey, ginger, nutmeg and salt to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent burning.

Whisking vigorously, add water/cornstarch mixture into coconut mixture & bring back to a simmer. Let bubble gently, whisking constantly to prevent lumps & burning, until thickened. Remove from heat & whisk in butter, almond & vanilla until smooth. Lavishly ladle over warm bread pudding & Enjoy!!

Makes 24 servings

BEVERAGE CATEGORY WINNER

Kato's Tropical Smoothie

By Elijah Reed

1 papaya

1 banana

1/4 c pineapple

1 c natural apple juice

NO added sugar

Blend and enjoy!

Jim Ferrell – Puna Coffee

For more information:

CarlOkuyama@suresave.com

“Taste of Puna” is a registered trade name of Sure Save Super Market, Ltd.
Definition: Puna 1. n. Spring (of water)
Source: Hawaiian Dictionary by Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel H. Elbert
University Of Hawaii Press, Honolulu
Copyright 1986, 5th Edition