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Community Corner

Luau at the Library

Residents learn about Polynesian recipes.

Fresh pineapples, finely chopped green onions, iceberg lettuce and pork tenderloins–followed by coconut pudding–were on the menu at the Pacific and Polynesian recipes cooking demonstration at the Syosset Public Library last Wednesday.

Hosted by chef Charlie Walsh, visitors were shown step by step how to prepare a Tropical Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette, Pineapple Pork Tenderloins and Hawaiian Coconut Pudding, also known as Haupia.

"I wanted to show luau recipes," said Walsh. "Luau represents the islands and tropics. I wanted to go ethnic in 2010. I also wanted to show everyone that cooking is fun."

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Walsh substituted pork chops with pork tenderloins to accommodate the large crowd.

"If I were just feeding four, the pork chops would have worked, but the pork tenderloins feed so much more" he said.

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Leona and Jeannette Straussman of Woodbury came to the demonstration because they like trying new recipes.

"We learned a lot," Jeannette said. "The tenderloin with the pineapple was good. I will definitely make this at home. Coming to recipe demonstrations is great for us, we love to eat and it's fascinating to hear a new recipe."

Walsh, owner of cooking demonstration business Thyme to Cook, has been working in the restaurant business for the past 30 years.

"I never repeat a recipe at my demonstrations. I always like to try new things," Walsh said.

While cooking the meals on an electric burner, Walsh shared several tips throughout the presentation:

* "Always use tongs, forks are no good because every time you stick the fork into the meat, you are letting all the juices out."

* "Don't buy cooking wines. They aren't good enough for a great meal. Just keep red and white wines in the fridge."

For more information, visit www.thymetocook.net.

 

Tropical Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette

Ingredients

6 slices bacon               

1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

1 (10 ounce) package chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

  1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
  2. In a cruet or jar with a lid, combine pineapple juice, red wine vinegar, oil, pepper and salt. Cover and shake well.
  3. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, pineapple, macadamia nuts, green onions and bacon. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with toasted coconut.

 

Pineapple Pork Chops

Ingredients

1 tablespoon bacon fat

4 boneless pork chops

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup diced pineapple

Directions

  1. Heat the fat in a skillet over medium heat, and brown the pork chops about 5 minutes on each side. Remove chops from the skillet, and set aside.
  2. Mix the chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce and vinegar into the skillet, and bring to a boil. Return the pork chops to the skillet, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove chops from the skillet, reserving broth mixture, and set aside.
  3. In a bowl, blend the brown sugar, cornstarch, and pineapple juice. Mix into the skillet with the chicken broth mixture. Bring to a boil. Serve with the cooked pork chops.

 

Haupia – Hawaiian Coconut Pudding

Ingredients

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup whole milk

6 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 tablespoon vanilla (if desired)

Directions

  1. Pour one cup of coconut milk into a saucepan. Combine sugar and cornstarch stirring into coconut milk. (Add vanilla if desired.) Heat over low stirring consistently until thickened.
  2. Add remainder of coconut milk and whole milk and continue to heat until thickened. Pour into 8-inch square pan and chill until firm.

 

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