June 2009

Backyard Makeover Blowout 57 Ways to Upgrade

LIVING IN THE WEST

Create your perfect space From sunny patio lounge to cozy outdoor kitchen

Save water, add style:

Droughtproof your backyard

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Top summer getaways, Sierra to Santa Cruz

Outdoor eats

17 tasty new recipes for dinner alfresco JUNE 2009

Enjoy the dog days of summer!

Sunset.com

Luau cool Mix up some pineapple drops and dig into our luau: a lighter, finger food–style version (no whole pig necessary)

BY AMY MACHNAK | photographs by thayer Allyson Gowdy

Let’s face it, the word “luau” may conjure images of other decades: Ahem, the 1950s and ’60s and those ubiquitous aloha shirts, perhaps? But the menu we’ve put together—inspired by a luau story that Sunset published in 1965—is all modern-day fun, with Hawaii-grown produce (thanks to specialty stores and FedEx) and fruit-infused cocktails.

food Styling: Dan Becker, Prop styling: EmMa Star Jensen; Far right: Deborah Jaffe

Luau guest Andreas Ade with a pineapple drop. opposite Char siu–glazed pork and pineapple buns.

TIME Late afternoon PLACE A lush, palmfringed garden in Hillsborough, California THE GUESTS The garden’s creator, Bay Area landscape designer Davis Dalbok—who loves all things Hawaiian, including food—and a few of his friends THE MENU Read on . . .

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Davis Dalbok (in pale green shirt), with friends and plenty of pineapple drops

Char siu–glazed pork and pineapple buns

then & now 1965 menu Roast pork, Hawaiian-style Lomi salmon–stuffed tomatoes Poi (optional) Baked sweet potatoes Mixed salad greens with avocado and papaya Chocolate–macadamia nut sundaes 2009 update Char siu–glazed pork and pineapple buns Pineapple drops Papaya and avocado salads with Hawaiian vanilla vinaigrette Caramelized Maui onion dip Coconut lime shrimp skewers Chocolate liliko‘i parfaits

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Sunset June 2009

SERVES 12 TIME 1 hour, plus brining time Char siu—Chinese-style barbecued pork—is popular throughout the Islands.

We’ve used its sweet, tangy glaze on pork tenderloin and pineapple, and then tucked both into Hawaiian sweet rolls.

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cup each kosher salt and packed light brown sugar 1 tbsp. Hawaiian vanilla extract* 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb. each) 1/2 cup each ketchup and hoisin sauce 2 tbsp. each toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, and low-sodium soy sauce 12 slices of peeled and cored fresh pineapple 24 King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls or other small soft rolls, warmed on the grill if you like 1 cup cilantro sprigs

1. Make brine: In a large pot, bring 31/2 cups water to a boil. Stir in salt, brown sugar, and vanilla. Chill until cool.

2. Put pork in a 9- by 13-in. pan and pour on brine. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 12.

3. Make char siu glaze: In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, hoisin, sesame oil,

garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Pour half the sauce into another small bowl.

4. Prepare grill for indirect medium heat (350° to 450°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds).

Lay pork over indirect-heat area and cook, covered, until meat reaches 135° on a meat thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Using a pastry brush and one bowl of glaze, cover pork with glaze, saving 2 tbsp. for the pineapple. Cook pork (if using charcoal, add 6 to 8 briquets to maintain temperature), turning occasionally, until glaze has caramelized slightly and meat thermometer reaches 145°, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes.

6. Lay pineapple slices on direct-heat area of grill, brush with 2 tbsp. reserved glaze, and cook, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Remove slices from grill and cut in half.

7. Cut pork into 1/2-in. slices. Cut a deep diagonal slit across the top of each roll. Fill each roll with a piece of pork, half a grilled pineapple slice, a cilantro sprig, and 1/2 tsp.

THEN & NOW: Deborah Jaffe, E. Spencer Toy

Papaya and avocado salad with Hawaiian vanilla vinaigrette

Caramelized Maui onion dip

Coconut lime shrimp skewers

glaze from second bowl. Serve rolls with remaining glaze for drizzling. *Find aromatic Hawaiian vanilla extract at gourmet grocery stores and hawaiianvanilla. com; non-Hawaiian vanilla extract works too.

Make ahead: Brine pork and make char siu glaze up to 1 day ahead.

PER SERVING 424 Cal., 25% (108 cal.) from fat; 26 g protein; 12 g fat (5.2 g sat.); 53 g carbo (3.2 g fiber); 823 mg sodium; 87 mg chol.

Pineapple drops

MAKES 6 cocktails TIME 5 minutes, plus chilling time Tangy and sweet, this drink pairs well with our luau, but is also good sipped solo.

You’ll need 6 cocktail skewers.

11/2 cups each pineapple juice and vodka 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice Couple of lime wedges About 1 cup sugar Fresh pineapple, cut into 3/4-in. chunks

1. In a pitcher, mix pineapple juice, vodka, and lime juice, then chill until cold.

2. Rub lime wedges around rims of 6 martini glasses. Pour sugar onto a large plate. Dip rims of glasses in sugar. Divide

vodka mixture among glasses. Push a few pineapple chunks onto each skewer and set one in each glass.

PER SERVING 169 Cal., 0% from fat; 0.3 g protein; 0 g fat; 10 g carbo (0 g fiber); 1.3 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Papaya and avocado salads with Hawaiian vanilla vinaigrette

SERVES 12 TIME 30 minutes, plus macerating time These delicately floral, fruity salads are built on individual lettuce leaves, making them easy to pick up and eat.

6 tbsp. Champagne vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. sugar 1 Hawaiian (or other) vanilla bean* 24 medium-size butter lettuce leaves (from about 3 heads) 2 papayas, peeled and sliced 2 large avocados, peeled and sliced

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, and sugar. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape seeds from one half with the back of a paring knife, and add

seeds and scraped pod to vinaigrette (reserve other half of pod for another use).

Set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour to let the vanilla flavor develop.

2. Arrange lettuce leaves on a large platter in a single layer. On each leaf, lay 1 or 2 slices of papaya and 1 or 2 slices of avocado. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad. *Available at gourmet grocery stores and from hawaiianvanilla.com Make ahead: Mix vinaigrette up to 1 day ahead and chill.

PER SERVING 171 Cal., 79% (135 cal.) from fat; 1.3 g protein; 15 g fat (2.2 g sat.); 9 g carbo (1.4 g fiber); 55 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Caramelized Maui onion dip

MAKES 2 cups TIME 30 minutes, plus chilling time Make this addictive dip at least an hour ahead of time to let the flavors develop— and serve with enough potato chips to scoop up every last bit.

2 tbsp. olive oil 2 Maui onions (or other sweet onions), halved and thinly sliced (about 5 cups) 1 cup sour cream Sunset June 2009

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cup buttermilk 1 tsp. kosher salt

Buy Hawaiian Why it’s worth using ingredients from the Islands

Maui onion Grown in rich volcanic soil on the island for which it’s named, the juicy, golden yellow Maui onion is sweeter and less pungent than a regular onion because of its lower sulfur content. However, Maui onions must be used quickly; they don’t keep as well as regular onions. Stores typically label Maui onions by name.

Papaya Small and pear-shaped, with finely grained yellow-orange flesh, the Hawaiian papaya is delicious and fragrant, and can be used to tenderize meat. Ripen the fruit at room temperature until skin is mostly yellow and flesh “gives” a little when squeezed.

Passion fruit (Hawaiian name: liliko‘i) Brought to Hawaii from Australia in 1880, this eggshaped, purple or yellow pod (wrinkled when ripe) yields an intensely flavorful tart-sweet yellow pulp filled with tiny edible seeds. The pulp can be eaten fresh or used to make sauces, preserves, and ice cream.

Pineapple Hawaiian pineapples are the Smooth Cayenne variety, which are sweeter than the Red Spanish type from Central and South America because they’re picked when ripe. Spot Hawaiian pineapples by their large size, smooth-edged leaves, and deep yellow color.

Vanilla bean Hawaii’s tropical weather transforms its vanilla blossoms into the most aromatic beans in the world. The high price stems from the fact that every vanilla orchid must be pollinated by hand on the one day each year when the flower opens.

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1. Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, sticky, and caramelized, about 20 minutes. If the pan starts to burn, reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 tbsp. water, stirring well. Transfer onions to a small bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour.

2. Reserve 1 tbsp. onions. In a food processor, pulse remaining onions, sour cream, buttermilk, and salt just until combined.

Transfer to a serving dish, top with reserved onions, and chill at least 1 hour.

Make ahead: Up to 2 days and chill.

Chocolate liliko‘i parfaits

SERVES 12 TIME 1 hour, plus chilling time Liliko‘i (as the Hawaiians call passion fruit) is extremely tart. It tastes wonderful with sweet, rich brownies—decadent but surprisingly refreshing.

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cup each passion fruit purée* and butter 1 cup sugar 12 egg yolks 11/2 cups whipping cream 2 lbs. brownies*, cut into about 60 cubes (3/4-in.)

Chocolate sauce*

1. In a medium bowl, combine ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice, and coconut milk. Add shrimp, tossing to coat, and chill, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

2. Meanwhile, soak skewers in water.

Prepare a grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). Push 2 or 3 shrimp onto each skewer in a “C” shape (through each end); cook, turning once, until flesh has just turned pink and is slightly charred, about 3 minutes on each side.

3. Arrange skewers on a serving platter and sprinkle evenly with salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and coconut. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat passion fruit purée and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering. In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and yolks together to form a paste.

Slowly add hot liquid, whisking constantly, until combined. Pour mixture into pan and cook, whisking constantly, until it just reaches a simmer around the edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the curd’s surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill until cold and firm, about 11/2 hours.

2. Using an electric mixer, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Whisk in one-third of the cold curd; then, using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining curd. Put 3 or 4 brownie chunks into the bottom of an 8-oz. juice glass or other serving dish of similar size. Top brownies with about 1/4 cup passion fruit cream, another 3 or 4 brownie chunks, then another 1/4 cup cream. Repeat with 11 more glasses. Chill until ready to serve.

3. Heat chocolate sauce in microwave until it is warm and easily drizzles off the back of a spoon. Spoon about 1 tbsp. chocolate sauce over each parfait and serve. *Find passion fruit purée in the freezer section of most well-stocked grocery stores. You can either buy the brownies and chocolate sauce or make them yourself (see sunset.com for recipes).

Make ahead: You can make the passion fruit cream and assemble the parfaits 1 day ahead.

Add chocolate sauce at the last minute.

PER 2-SKEWER SERVING 147 Cal., 56% (82 cal.) from fat; 13 g protein; 9.1 g fat (7.3g sat.); 3.6 g carbo (0.3 g fiber); 127 mg sodium; 93 mg chol.

PER SERVING 713 Cal., 54% (387 cal.) from fat; 8.4 g protein; 43 g fat (20 g sat.); 79 g carbo (1.6 g fiber); 400 mg sodium; 297 mg chol. N

PER 2-TBSP. SERVING 69 Cal., 62% (43 cal.) from fat; 1.5 g protein; 4.8 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 5.6 g carbo (0.8 g fiber); 94 mg sodium; 6.6 mg chol.

Coconut lime shrimp skewers

SERVES 12 TIME 30 minutes, plus marinating time A squeeze of lime adds zing and toasted coconut contributes crunch to this easy make-ahead crowd-pleaser. You’ll need at least 24 wooden skewers (6 in.).

1 tbsp. each minced fresh ginger, minced garlic, and freshly grated lime zest 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk 2 lbs. large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), peeled and deveined 1/4 tsp. kosher salt Fresh lime wedges for squeezing 1/2 cup toasted, sweetened shredded coconut

Left: Deborah Jaffe

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Chocolate liliko‘i parfaits

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