Only from Hilo: Butt Laulau

Mauna Kea sunset

Whenever I travel, which is hardly ever, I am always glad to return home.  As most people know, I hate flying, and I hate everything about it. . .the getting to the airport, the checking in, the waiting, and the air time.  I HATE IT ALL!!!  I'm not sure about everyone else, but I've been on the plane with a shitload of idiots.  On my return flight, there was a guy who spent more time digging in the overhead bin instead of sitting in his seat.  Then there was the old lady who kept walking in the aisles (all while the plane was still loading) and screwing up other passengers, as she invariably stood in someone else's seat.  There was also a handful of people who tried to cram a carry-on roller suitcase into the overhead bin when it clearly wouldn't fit (or fits only one way and they spent 5 minutes trying to MAKE it fit the wrong way).  Some dude a few rows in front of me opened the overhead bin above him and left it open til someone else came by and closed it.  What a dumbass.  And don't even get me started on airplane food. . .

Anyway, Seattle/Victoria was fun, and I'm waiting for The Help to "process" the pics so I can get my grubby, seafood-smelling fingers on them.  I must've eaten at least 2 dozen oysters while there. . .raw, smoked, cooked.  I love oysters, and I can't imagine why I don't eat them more often at home.

The Ds return from their vacation this evening.  Mr. Dependable doesn't think much of public education, and to him, its not a big deal that his kids miss school.  He refused to pay the ransom to change their return flight.  His traveling partner, who at first seemed concerned about the kids missing the first day of school back from fall break, took the low road and didn't make a big deal out of it, especially since her child didn't go with them and, thus, wouldn't miss any school. 

Since returning home, The Help and I have been gorging on white rice and "local" food.  Neither of us had rice on the trip (no, I'm not counting paella and risotto), so we were both jonesing for it.  With just the two of us, its easy to pick up food, but with the imminent return of the Ds, I'm feeling like they will be grateful for some "local" food.

If you grew up in Hilo, you know that FF's Oven Ready Butt (brined/seasoned pork butt/shoulder) is TRUE Hilo food.  Its the moonyagi (omiyage) people from Hilo take to friends and relatives on neighbor islands.  It is also what other islanders bring home for family/friends when visiting Hilo.  Now, thanks to KTA, FF is not the only show in town for Oven Ready Butt.  Mountain Apple brand makes their own, and it is usually a little cheaper than FF.  I can't tell the difference in taste, so I buy whichever happens to be cheaper (on sale, FF is cheaper).

When I was away in college, I prepared Oven Ready Butt in the same fashion you'd prepare a corned beef brisket (or how I imagine you'd do it...I don't eat corned beef brisket myself).  Cook the chunk of meat in some water until its fairly soft, then add cabbage wedges and cook until done.  I think I've heard that called "boiled dinner".  I had no choice because back then, there was nowhere in Seattle to get fresh taro leaves.

Now that I live in Hilo, I prepare Oven Ready Butt my favorite way. . .a gigantic laulau which takes minimal effort to make.  The trickiest part is finding the taro leaves, but recently, that hasn't been very difficult.  I can usually find taro leaves at the supermarket (sold in 2 lb bags) or the farmer's market.  In fact, AJanice has some growing in her back yard.  I actually should plant some where the pool pump discharges because the weekly flooding (along with Hilo rain) makes it a good place for growing taro.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Oven-Ready Butt Laulau

     1 large piece Oven-Ready Butt

     2 lbs taro leaves, washed and larger veins shaved down

Wrap butt with taro leaves, completely encasing butt.  Wrap tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil, completely encasing taro leaves.  Place in crock pot/slow cooker.  Cook on low for 7 hours or more.  Remove from crock pot.  Carefully remove butt from foil.  Slice and serve.

On occasion, when I can't find a large piece of Oven-Ready Butt, I have bought 2 smaller pieces and wrapped them up.  I usually do the wrapping the night before and store it in the crock in the refrigerator overnight.  Then I just place the crock in the heating element before I leave for work.  This reheats well too, in spite of it not being very photogenic.

Taro Cake

I have been extremely busy with work this year.  I was bombarded at the beginning of the year by calls from irate parents, nervous teachers & administrators, and a laundry list of trainings I had to do.  On top of that, our complex area is going through an On-Site School Review (OSSR) for all schools.  This entails a team of ragamuffin DOE employees be at the school from 7:30 am til 5:00 pm daily (except for Monday, when re-con time is 7:00).  And I almost forgot to mention the "optional" evening meeting on the Wednesday of the OSSR week.  The purpose of the meeting is to allow families to ask OSSR members questions about the review process.  But all of this bitching translates to a very late week.

When I have a late week, dinners become challenging.  Thats when I rely on food from my freezer to get us through dinners.  During my OSSR week, I raided the freezer and found a slab of taro cake.  I popped the slab in the microwave, then cut it into pieces.  Pan-frying the bottom of the pieces creates a crispy crust which is great dipped in shoyu.

For you people living in Honolulu or any large city, there is a good chance you can head to your nearby dimsum place and buy a few pieces of taro cake. . . no need to buss out the steamer.  But I live in Hilo, and there is nowhere to buy taro cake.  For us, taro cake is one of those things you buy from Honolulu as moonyagi*. Actually, I think my version is better than what you'd  get, and because you're making it yourself, you can use the "healthier" lup cheong that has chicken in it.  Even better . . . you can eat the whole dang pan yourself like I end up doing.

*Moonyagi is Weezee's word for omiyage (gifts in Japanese).

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Taro Cake

Meat Filling:

     1 tbsp oil

     2 lup cheong, diced

     2 tbsp chung choi, chopped fine

     1 tbsp rice wine

Taro Filling:

     1 tbsp oil

     2 c diced taro

     1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder + enough water to 

          make 1/2 c

Cake:

     1 c cake flour, sifted

     1/4 c tapioca starch

     1 tsp chicken bouillon powder + enough water to 

          make 1 1/2 c

Garnish:

     1/4 c chopped green onions

     1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

For meat filling, heat oil in wok and saute lup cheong until heated.  Add remaining meat filling ingredients and cook until liquid is reduced.  Set aside.  For taro filling, heat oil and stir-fry taro for 1 minute.  Add bouillon mixture and cook for 5 minutes or more until liquid is reduced.  Set aside.  Prepare a steamer.  Combine cake ingredients, whisking until smooth.  Grease a 9" round or square pan.  Scatter half of taro cubes evenly in pan.  Top with half of meat filling.  Pour all of cake mixture over.  Repeat taro and meat layers.  Steam for 30 minutes.  Remove from steamer and scatter garnishes.  Allow cake to cook before slicing.