Whip up a home taste of the North Shore

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

Here's a hearty menu based on North Shore products. Choose shrimp or beef as the main course — or make 'em both. All the recipes serve four and would make a nice company dinner for lanai dining.

When North Shore farmers hosted a luncheon for members of the Slow Food Hawaii convivium last summer, they served a dish like this shrimp-and-corn boil, based on the classic crawfish boils of Louisiana. You can add small new potatoes, if you want. And you can add more or less garlic or spice.

The spice here is Zatarain's Crawfish, Shrimp & Crab Boil in a Bag, sold in 3-ounce boxes in the spice sections of many stores. We suggest you use only half the bag here, as the bags are designed for 4 pounds or more of seafood. Slit the top, pour out half the seasoning and tie that up in cheesecloth to pop into the boiling water.

Shrimp and corn boil

• 1 gallon water
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 bag Zatarain's Crawfish, Shrimp & Crab Boil in a Bag
• 2 pounds unshelled, head-on Kahuku prawns
• 4 ears Kahuku corn

Place water in large soup pot and add salt. Bring to a boil.

Peel garlic but leave whole. Cut lemon in quarters. Add to boiling water along with Zatarain's seasoning, shrimp and corn.

Boil for 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is pink.

Remove from heat and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Drain, pick out shrimp and corn, and serve hot. (Be ready to eat with your hands and pull off the shrimp heads!)

• Per serving: 275 calories, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 270 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 33 g protein.

This recipe is based on one in "Great Burgers" by Bob Sloan (Chronicle Books, hardback, $14.95)

Blue burgers

• 3 tablespoons Oils of Aloha macadamia-nut oil
• 1 1/2 pounds North Shore Cattle Co. ground beef
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 ounces blue cheese
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 8 slices rustic bread (such as La Brea Organic Wheat)

Place a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons macadamia-nut oil and heat 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Cook until vinegar is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Gently shape ground beef into four burgers about 3/4 inch thick and 4 inches across. Make a 1/4-inch dimple in the center of each burger with the tips of your three middle fingers (this helps assure the center of the burger is cooked through about the same time as the edges). Sprinkle both sides of the burger with salt.

Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon of mac-nut oil. Allow it to get very hot, about 2 minutes. Arrange burgers so they are not touching and cook uncovered, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut blue cheese into four slices.

Turn the burgers and place a round of blue cheese on top. Cook uncovered, 4-6 minutes, to desired doneness.

Serve on bread slices, topped with mushrooms.

Make 4 servings.

• Per serving (not including salt to taste): 660 calories, 37 g total fat, 13 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 900 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 48 g protein.

The garlickey dressing for this salad is from "Tastes Better with Garlic" by Sara Perry (Chronicle, paper, 13.95). If you don't care to fuss, just top the tomatoes and lettuce with a drizzle of Oils of Aloha garlic-flavored oil and add a little salt and pepper and perhaps a shaving or two of parmesan cheese or a few lumps of goat cheese.

North Shore Salad

• 2 cups May's Wonder Garden leaf lettuce
• 2 whole, ripe Big Wave tomatoes (if available)
• 1 large head garlic (2.5-3 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons Oils of Aloha macadamia-nut oil
• 2 tablespoons roasted macadamia nuts

Roast the head of garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top of the head off to expose the tips. Place on a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil or in a garlic roaster. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon macadamia-nut oil. Wrap in foil or cover roaster. Bake until tender and golden, about 1 hour.

Allow garlic to cool until you can handle it (or use an oven mitt or length of paper towel); squeeze the cloves out of their skins and transfer to a bowl or into a mini-processor or blender. Reserve the roasting oil from the garlic roasting.

To the bowl, processor or blender, add vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper and whisk, process or blend until smooth. Whisk in macadamia-nut oil and reserved garlic roasting oil.

Wash greens, spin or pat dry and arrange on four plates. Slice tomatoes and arrange over lettuce. Drizzle evenly with dressing and top each with macadamia nuts. Makes 4 servings.

• Per serving: 270 calories, 24 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 2.5 g protein.

Could it be simpler? This easy dessert takes advantage of farm-fresh fruit and Maui-made coconut ice cream.

Burnt fruit and ice cream

• 1 firm, ripe banana (or 2 apple bananas)
• 1 firm, ripe mango
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 4 (4-ounce) scoops Roselani brand haupia ice cream
• 2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

Peel banana and slice in half and then lengthwise. Peel and seed mango and slice into lengths.

In a non-stick pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Place fruit in pan and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Cook 3-5 minutes, until bottoms are brown, then carefully turn, using a fork or tongs, continuing to cook for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast coconut by spreading in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir and toss until coconut grows fragrant and becomes golden. Remove from heat immediately.

Place ice cream in four dishes, top with caramelized fruit and top with coconut.

Makes 4 servings.

• Per serving: 430 calories, 23 g total fat, 12 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 56 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 51 g sugar, 6 g protein.