Home Cooking with Foodland: Beef Luau and Lomi Tomato

Join Chef Keoni in his home kitchen as he demonstrates how to make Beef Luau and Lomi Tomato.
Ingredients and Instructions (Serves 4):
Beef Luau
Ingredients:
• 2 lbs. fresh luau leaves, stems removed and stemless leaves coarsely chopped (you may sub with frozen luau leaves)
• 2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 2″ cubes (short ribs or stew meat also works)
• Hawaiian Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 lb. yellow onion, sliced 1/2 inch
• Chili pepper water, to taste
• Water or beef stock, to cover
Instructions:
1. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove on high. Season the beef with Hawaiian salt.
2. Add just enough oil to the pot to lightly coat the bottom. When the oil is hot enough to shimmer and gives off wisps of steam, add the beef in small batches to avoid overcrowding and brown well. Remove browned beef, add next batch and continue until all beef is browned.
3. Pour out most of the rendered fat from the pot, leaving just enough to coat the bottom. Add onions, lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are sweet and translucent.
4. Layer the luau leaves on top of onion. Add browned beef on top of the luau leaves to weigh them down, add water, cover. Bring up to a boil, then lower to very low, and simmer until the beef is very tender and the luau leaves are very soft. Taste and adjust with salt, chili pepper water and water if needed.
5. Note: Alternatively, you may pre-blanch and drain the luau leaves in a separate pot of salted water to speed up the cooking and help to wilt the greens so they fit in the pot with the beef more easily.
Chili Pepper Water
Ingredients:
• 2 cups water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5-10 fresh chilies (Hawaiian or Thai chili peppers work best)
• Pinch of salt
• Vinegar, to taste
Instructions:
1. Combine water, garlic, chilies and salt and bring to a boil.
2. Boil until all ingredients are soft and mushy, then remove from heat and puree.
3. Adjust seasoning if needed, then add vinegar to taste.
Lomi Tomato
Ingredients:
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 tennis ball sized sweet onion, finely minced
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
• 1 pinch Hawaiian salt
• Optional: 2 dry opae (dry shrimp), chopped; 1 clove garlic chopped
Instructions:
1. Combine ingredients, add in a few ice cubes to chill down and add to sauce.
2. Serve.
Note: Directions are meant as a general guide. Chef Keoni may improvise slightly during class.