CaliforniaGirl Rumaki recipe please?

[brenda]

Can you give me the recipe for the Rumaki? I have read a few recipes and 2 of 3 had chicken livers. I get the concept, but how long to bake etc. I think I am going to make it for Thanksgiving. Thanks!

Brenda

[California Girl]

Hi Brenda! The recipe I have is really old and it also calls for chicken livers, only wherever it says "chicken livers" in the recipe, I substitute FRESH pineapple chunks. My recipe calls for marinating the chicken livers in a sauce, but I just dip the whole thing in the sauce for a minute (not enough to really soak into the pineapple) before I bake them. For what it's worth, here's my recipe, it's from The Restaurant of the 5 Volcanos cookbook by Elizabeth Toupin, copyrighted in 1964. It was purchased at the Hawaiian Pavilion at the New York World's Fair (it was my mom's). Because this recipe is so old, it calls for msg. I will leave that out!!

RUMAKI

May be prepared ahead

12 slices of bacon
6 chicken livers - about 1/2 lb. (or FRESH pineapple)
12 whole waterchestnuts
3 TB soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
pinch of ground ginger or 1/4 tsp. fresh chopped ginger
24 toothpicks

Cut bacon strips in half and fry till partially cooked but soft. Quarter chicken livers or cut them into 24 bite-size morsels (or 24 chunks fresh pineapple). Slice waterchestnuts in half. Combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger and add to chicken livers & marinate 20 minutes (for pineapple, set sauce aside).

Wrap chicken liver (or pineapple) and waterchestnuts in bacon strip and skewer in place with toothpick. (if using pineapple, dip into sauce at this point) Place on a rack in hot oven, 450 degrees, for 10 minutes (with pineapple, keep an eye on it and remove from oven when bacon is done - it may not take as long). Toothpicks may be replaced before serving.

To prepare ahead: Follow instructions and cook till done. Refrigerate till time to serve. Place on rack in hot - 450 degree oven - for 5 minutes. The rumaki may also be placed in a warm oven to remove the chill, and then each guest may heat his own over the puupuu fire.

Notes:

* I think now you can find waterchestnuts that are already sliced in half.

* Puupuu fire = hibachi

GOOD LUCK! Now my stomach is growling!

[brenda]

Thanks CG. I especially like the do ahead tips. Do you think I could pretty much cook them entirely and pull out of the oven right as I am leaving, then microwave for a minute to warm up? I'd rather not tie up their oven. It's only a 45 minute drive.

[California Girl]

I'm sure that would be ok, Brenda. This cookbook is "pre-microwave" or I'm sure it would say that! hee hee! There's nothing to get soggy, so I think they'll warm up just fine in a minute or so!

[brenda]

Thanks, Margo. That is how I am going to do it then. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Rick.

[brenda]

While I was looking at other recipes, I came up with a slight twist on this recipe. I am going to substitute shrimp for the chicken livers. I am going to take the shrimp and put pineapple and a slice of water chestnut in the bend of the shrimp, wrap with the bacon and skewer. I'm still using the same marinade but adding some fresh lemon juice and MAYBE a little hot sauce for some kick. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[California Girl]

Wow Brenda! That sounds fantasic! We'll have to come up with a new name for it! I have some shrimp in the freezer, I think I'll try it too!

[brenda]

I made the marinade tonight to save time tomorrow and let me tell you, it rocks. I varied it a bit and cut the sugar in half. I used:

6 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
pinch ground ginger (all I had)
juice of 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon of hot sauce (this is hot stuff)

I used Scorned Woman from STJ Spice. That is one of our favorites. I've heard alot about Jerome's, so going to have to try that. My point is that it is probably better to use a true hot sauce than a Frank's Red Hot vinegary type sauce if you go that route.

The plan:
Partailly cook the bacon. Marinate the shrimp and water chestnuts for about an hour so as not to overwhelm and dredge the pineapple last minute. I'm actually a little eager to taste this creation .

Thanks for inspiring me . I hope I'm not the only one that embellishes recipes a bit.

[California Girl]

Brenda, if you're going to marinate the shrimp and water chestnuts, then I'd just put the pineapple in plain, without dipping it. It'll be awesome. You sauce sounds to die for! You just turned a Hawaiian recipe into a great Caribbean recipe! I can't wait to try it now!

[brenda]

Got it . Pineapple straight up it will be.

[brenda]

This turned out to be a great combination of flavors. What I would do different next time is use thin sliced bacon and use the whole slice. After I cut the bacon in half, I realized it was too short to wrap that much stuff. I ended up cooking more and getting creative with the toothpick with the rest .

[Xislandgirl]

I make mine with just the waterchestnuts and I bake them until almost crispy and then glaze them with a mixture of Brown sugar and ketchup and back for another 5 minutes or so
They are so gooey and yummy!

[California Girl]

Brenda, I'm glad to hear it was a success! I'm going to make a batch, based on your morph of the original recipe.

Xislandgirl, does yours taste more barbecue-y and less teriyaki-y?