Chef Amy Ferguson Cooks at the Market

Chef Amy Ferguson Cooks at Market

Chef Amy Ferguson visited the Waimea Town Market on October 22 and put on a terrific cooking demonstration, preparing five dishes and answering dozens of questions about the creative culinary process.

Many Big Island residents remember Chef Amy for the magical meals she created at her two eclectic Kailua-Kona restaurants, Oodles of Noodles and O’s Bistro.  An inductee into the Hawaii Regional Cuisine Hall of Fame at its recent inaugural meeting, Chef Amy has served as Executive Chef at Rosewood’s Hotel Hana-Maui and at the Ritz Carleton at Mauna Lani, and has been featured in numerous cookbooks and television programs, including Julia Child’s Cooking with Master Chefs series.  She now operates Cater Hawaii and continues to dazzle the palates of Big Island residents and visitors.  She can be reached through her web site, caterhawaii.com.

The Recipes are below - or you can can download a .pdf file here

Out of the frying pan...Chef Amy moves Rainbow Swiss Chard and Puna Goat Cheese	Arranging the dumplings on the serving platter
Chef Amy surveys a platter individual servings of Kabocha Ginger Flan	Ladling Beet Balsamic Drizzle over the dumplings
A close up of Kabocha Ginger Flan	Pretty as a picture...the dumplings are ready to serve.

Here are the recipes for Chef Amy’s “market specials,” included by permission from Chef Amy and Cater Hawaii.



Rainbow Swiss Chard– Puna Goat Cheese Pot Stickers, Beet Balsamic Drizzle

Makes approx 24

 
8ribs                Swiss Chard, trim leaves (makes 4 c) from stems (makes 3/4 c), cut and keep separate

½ Tbsp            Olive Oil

4 stems           Roasted Green Garlic, remove roots and chop

2                      Leeks, white and light green portion only, wash thoroughly

8oz                  Puna Goat Cheese

                        Salt and pepper to taste

24                    Round Man Doo Pi Wrappers

½ cup             Cornstarch to cover the tray to keep the pot stickers from sticking                             and getting to wet

 

Prep Method

Saute Chard stems and clean leeks in olive oil, then add julienne chard leaves and green garlic until soft. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove from pan and drain in colander if nec. Once cool, squeeze mixture in a towel to remove excess moisture if any.
If chard pieces are too big , cut through greens before mixing into goat cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Fill and crimp to seal wrappers forming a dumpling. Pot stickers may be help a few days if placed on tray with cornstarch and left uncovered in the refrigerator to stay dry.
 

Cooking Method

Heat a skillet with small amount oil until medium hot.
Add Pot stickers into skillet flat bottom down. Sauté until bottom is golden brown.
Add enough white wine or water (depending on your desired taste) to steam by covering the pan.
Once wrapper is cooked, remove from pan and finish by with Beet Balsamic drizzle.
If desired, you may crumble goat cheese or shave parmesan over the pot stickers….
 

Red Kuri-Lamb Curry
Serves 4-6


Ingredients

 

2 lbs                Maluhia Farm Lamb
1 TBSP             vegetable oil
1                      medium or 2 small onions, cut into wedges
2                      cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 TBSP          Thai red curry paste
2 tsp                fresh ginger root, minced
½ cup             vegetable stock
1 3/4 c            coconut milk
1 ½ -2 #          red kuri squash or kabocha squash, cut into one and a half inch cubes (peeling is optional)
1- 2 c              vegetables:
½ cup sliced bell peppers with 1 cup sliced bamboo shoots and/or cauliflower and/or sugar snap peas and ½ cup cubed tofu or 1 cup asparagus, halved and 1 cup young squash ie: patty  pan or yellow squash, thickly sliced, or 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed and par boiled 5 minutes and ½ cup sliced bell  peppers.
2 stalks            Sliced lemongrass / 4 lg Kaffir lime leaves julienned (optional)
1 fresh             Thai chile (optional- only if you like it hot!)
1/2 c               Thai or sweet basil

Method
Heat oil in wok or deep frying pan. Add onions, garlic, ginger and curry and stir 1 minute. Add stock and coconut milk and bring to simmer. Add the pumpkin, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add vegetables (and lemongrass and chile if you are using) and cook another 5-7 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Taste for salt. Stir in basil leaves leaving a few for garnish. Serve with jasmine or brown rice. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Alternative serving suggestions: use a bed of assorted fresh greens gently wilted accompanied by quinoa flavored with raisins and caramelized onions.

 
Island Thyme Gourmet Chorizo Mussels

 Ingredients

3lbs.                Black Mussels

1oz                  Olive oil

1lb                   Fresh Chorizo in casing (blanch and slice)

4 oz                 Ancho paste mixed with lard

1med              Onion, peeled and sliced

6 stems           Green Garlic, roasted

2 ea                Natural B Tomatoes, diced

1 bunch         Cilantro, rough chopped

8 oz                 white wine... leftovers from the night before

4 oz                 unsalted butter

1-2                   Meyer’s Lemon cut into 1/4ths ( to taste)

Salt to taste

 

Method

Wash and de beard Mussels
In a hot sauteuse pan,  add oil, onion sauté until soft
 


Beet Tapenade

1/2 pound pitted olive of choice

1 pound fresh roasted beets, small diced (brunoise)

2 anchovy fillets, rinsed (or to taste)

1 small clove garlic, minced or Kekela’s fresh Green Garlic

2 tablespoons capers

2 to 3 fresh basil leaves (oregano or thyme is a wonderful addition as well)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer’s lemon juice, white balsamic or sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

 

Directions

Rinse the olives if you prefer less brine. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor with the exception of the beets. Process to combine until the mixture becomes a coarse paste (Stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl).  Approximately 1 to 2 minutes total.  Stir in diced beets and more fresh herbs. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

 

Kabocha Ginger Flan

Pre heat oven to 350degrees

 
12                    Lg. Whole Eggs, beaten

2 12 oz can    Carnation Evaporated Milk

2 14 oz can    Nestle La Lechera or Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup                         Candy Man Candied Ginger, finely chopped

1                      Kabocha Pumpkin, split and roasted (approx 2 cups puree)

Mix together. Pour into a caramel lined baking dish. Bake in a water bath for 1 hour.  Flan is cooked the “giggle” is firm

 

Caramel Coating

 Heat ½ cup to desired caramel color. It turns fast, watch stirring as little as possible. Do not burn.