Aloha... been thinking of doing something different for this year's Thanksgiving. (yes I am planning well in advance)

Would any of you have some thoughts and recipes for what to serve for a polynesian flavor feast? I will say it need not be made of turkey!

Mahalo

[ Edited by: Blowfish 2006-09-11 17:19 ]

Pineapple and ham seem to be staples of a luau; that's not far off from a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinner! Maybe a nice Virginia ham would do the trick as the "main course."

~Rupe

Hmm, ham might be a reasonable choice... I am thinking of trying to make pulled pork and some coconut prawns, etc... perhaps more Trader Vic's than Hawaiian, but I like the sound of it...

Curious to hear what you all would want if you could dream up the perfect Tiki Thanksgiving.

A nice mango-y chutney with your meat, maybe? Candied edible flowers for the presentation? I think, with exotic fruit and flowers, if you splash enough rum around, you can't really go wrong. Keep us posted!

Read this thread and then scroll down to the 4/15/06 post by finkdaddy about the ham with Cruzan Blackstrap. I may have to try that myself this year.

Thanks GatorRob, I will keep that one in mind, but may try to find a way of making Kalua (pulled) pork in my home oven... I think that would be pretty tasty on turkey-day!

...at least it will be after a few tropical libations!

Mahalo

I would suggest looking into a variation of the red-necky "Coca-Cola Ham" I have actually done this myself and was pleased with the results--
Brine
4 1/2 pound bone-in fresh ham
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola, or enough to cover the ham completely
1/4 cup kosher salt
Pepper to taste

For the glaze:
Handful of cloves
1 heaping tablespoon of molasses
2 teaspoons of mustard powder
2 tablespoons of granulated brown sugar

Let the ham brine in the coca-cola spice/salt mixture for a day or two.

Put the ham in a pan (skin-side down, if it fits like that), add the onion and then pour over the Coke. Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer, put the lid on (though not tightly) and cook for just under two-and-a-half hours. If your joint is larger or smaller, work out timing by reckoning on an hour for every two pounds, remembering that it's going to get a quick blast in the oven later. But do take into account that if the ham's been in the refrigerator right up to the moment you cook it, you will have to give it a good 15 minutes or so extra, so that the interior is properly cooked.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500° F. When the ham's had its time, take it out of the pan (but do not throw away the cooking liquid) and let cool a little for ease of handling. (Indeed, you can let it cool completely and then finish off the cooking at some later stage if you want.) Then remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes and stud each diamond with a clove. Then carefully spread the molasses over the bark-budded skin, taking care not to dislodge the cloves. Gently pat the mustard and sugar onto the sticky fat. Cook in a foil-lined roasting pan for approximately 10 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly. Should you want to do the braising stage in advance and then let the ham cool, clove and glaze it and give it 30-40 minutes, from room temperature, at 350° F, turning up the heat towards the end if you think it needs it.

Thanksgiving without turkey?????? :o the horror....the horror...

Blowfish,
Last Thanksgiving we were in Orlando and went to Emeril's Tchoup Chop for dinner. The restaurant is at Universal in the Polynesian themed area. They managed to put a Polynesian spin on the traditional ingredients (turkey, potatoes, etc.) that was just fantastic. I was very pleasantly surprised it worked, but it did.
I bet if you called there now, you could get a rundown of the Thanksgiving menu dishes they plan to serve. It's a longshot, but the actual recipes might be listed on Emeril's web-site. Even if not, you'd still have someplace to start.

JTD

We are on our way to Maui for Thanksgiving. Friends live on the island and have invited us to Thanksgiving dinner. I read somewhere about basting the turkey with Cruzan Black Strap Rum. Stashing a bottle away in our check-in luggage so we can try it out. (And a few more bottles for our Mai Tais and Coronado Luaus too!)

Our first holiday spent in the islands. Hope the whales start their migration early!

• Myke

Sunset Magazine's got some tasty looking recipes in this month's article Thanksgiving in Hawaii--Hawaiian-Portuguese Smoked Turkey and Macadamia Nut Tart might just make it onto the menu this year.

this article has some great recipes!, I always do a smoked turkey at T-day, this seasoning sounds good. I have a couple of books out from the library-Alan Wong's New Wave Luau & Sam Choy's Polynesian Kitchen, lots of good ideas in these. Of course, I find the traditional NC smoked pork butt subs for kalua pig in every instance, the fun part is finding creative sides...

As much as I enjoy most things "Tiki", somehow "Tiki" and "Thanksgiving" just doesn't work for me. Isn't the Thanksgiving Holiday uniquely 'American'? It just seems to me that with so much 'tradition' tied up in the celebration of this holiday I'd rather not meddle with it. I'll settle for sticking a paper parasol pick in my turkey!

Da Professah has thrown many a-tiki thanksgiving (Makahiki as we say in Hawai`i nei).

Some of u guys not going like dis kine stuff, but try check'um anywayz. Jus trying fo' keep it real up herez on da big rock.

Since living Mainland my t'anksgiving kaukau always going consist of:

• Kalua Turkey (like Kalua Pig -- steamed, smoked, shredded, and moist!)
• Candied, sliced lotus root (like candied yams, but for Pakes!)
• Cocoa-Haupia Creme Pie (like da kine u get at Auntie Agnes's in Kailua)
• Hu-mang-ous pot sticky rice
• Pumpkin Mochi (recipe here)

For the Kalua Turkey recipe, plz see my Famous 13-Hour Kalua Pig Recipe 'n den replace with Mr. Gobble Gobble. If u no know wut lotus root is, check out deez bad boyz. Then imagine'um candied, and w00t w00t ... Ahhhhh, sooo ono. I candy minez with brown sugah, shoyu (soy sauce), ginger, and garlic.

Same kine tings u going find in Hawaii. U heard it here first!! Aloha'z!!!! OKONKULUKU!

WAITIKI: Exotic Tiki Entertainment From Polynesia & Beyond
Videos, MP3s, and More at http://www.waitiki.com

[ Edited by: professahhummingflowah 2006-10-28 16:37 ]

"Isn't the Thanksgiving Holiday uniquely 'American'?" - GentleHangman -

So is the Polynesian pop Tiki culture...I think we have a perfect match!

Friends and I did a Tiki Thanksgiving a few years back. A lot of the recipes came from various Polynesian cookbooks. I have a pretty good head for figuring out what a recipe will be like when finished but I'd have to say most of our dishes were misses. Mainly the end results were just not that interesting...I can't even remember what was made except for a baked banana dish that I don't want to remember. The pineapple chutney was good. I advise trying any new recipes before the big day.

We grilled tuna for the main course. For a the table, keeping with the abundance theme of Thanksgiving and the tropical element, I had a huge pile (an artful pile) of tropical fruit and seashells on the table. (I mention this because it looks good, is easy, and you can just eat most of the decorations later on.)

Along the lines of Tiki being an American take on Polynesian culture I'd leave yourself open to a lot of "Tikifying" of traditional dishes. (Like JTD said what's-his-name's restaurant did at Universal.) professahhummingflowah Kalua Turkey sounds like an excellent idea. A pineapple chutney is tropical but has a traditional "fall" taste of spices and fruit. Something like Coconut Macadamia Sweet Potatoes or Ginger Carrots (a lot of recipes out there for this dish) would be great. And here's an idea that can challenge your culinary skills and just may make the Pilgrims spin in their graves...Mai Tai Jell-O.

And don't forget the Luau Mayonnaise!

I stand corrected as I had no idea the the Polynesian pop Tiki culture was uniquely 'American'.
Still, I think I'll keep my Thanksgiving the New England Old Fashioned way and save Polynesian pop Tiki things for other occasions.

Woofmutt suggested the Luau Mayonaisse, which is funny. Because thanksgiving at the casa de mi familia does traditionally feature a seafoam salad...with the regular turkey and trimmings and all that other stuff. I think Kalua turkey is a great idea. I mean, you can't really make a regular roasted turkey any WORSE, can you?

[ Edited by: tekoteko 2006-10-29 17:47 ]

I have made a giant Kahlua turkey with great success- though not this year....

Last year a friend made the BEST candied yams with Tahitian rum and vanilla he bought in Bora Bora.
I don't believe they are available in the US...if you know a source for the rum and vanilla, well,.. holla!

I tried Cap'n Morgans as the recommended substitute, and it came out all a bit waxy and flat tasting- not worth it.

Anyhow, if you can get ahold of the right stuff, these are the most heavenly EV-AR! I cried when they were gone.
(and I think what is called yams is really sweet potatoes)

Happy Eats!

================================================================================
KENT'S CANDIED YAMS PAPEETE (Pah-pee-yeh-tay)

• 2 lbs Yams (Garnets are more orange, look better than Beauregards)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• dash cinnamon
• 1 tsp Tahitian vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp Tahitian rum

Oven 350°F

Wash yams, peel & cut into 1/2 inch thick pieces
Add yams to boiling water, cook till fork goes through easily
(Don't overcook till soft & mushy, will taste waterlogged)
Drain Yams, layer in baking dish
Sprinkle with brown sugar
Grate cinnamon over top
Sprinkle with vanilla & rum
Cut butter into thin slices and lay over top
Repeat layers as needed
Pop into oven for 30-45 minutes

Newsflash reply from Kent:

"I think I used some Tahitian vanilla extract... must be possible to get at most hippie grocery stores. I think a better option is to throw in some fresh whole vanilla beans!

I used some Tahitian rum which had kinda a unique flavor, not vanilla but more like german fruitcake, its funny too b/c it was sorta cheap shit that locals drank b/c beer (and everything else) is too expensive, so the flavor was probably more of a mistake than anything you'd replicate on purpose. I'd be tempted to use Cuban rum too since it has a distinct flavor, although different, more buttery.. or maybe Thai Meekong whisky which they are selling in local stores now, and has a distinct flavor, plus I thought it really was a rum just called whisky."

Bumped before Christmas eclipses everything.

Don't ditch the turkey - just change the side dishes.

Instead of gravy, baste the bird with pineapple juice and soysauce. Some members have already posted some great sides, but I'm also thinking of coconut risotto and green salad garnished with pomegranates and pecans. Go crazy with the turkey stuffing! Add fresh pineapple and mango to a traditional bread dressing/stuffing....the possibilities are endless.

Instead of pumpkin pie, how about key lime or coconut-cream?