Sweep winter away with a taste of the tropics

One usually thinks of our most beautiful state — Hawaii — as a vacation paradise, but its lavish supply of year-round fruits makes it much more: our wintertime culinary solution.

Mangos, papayas, avocados, coconut, bananas, kiwi, guava, citrus and pineapple come to supermarket produce counters just when we need them most, with refreshing taste, variety and loads of Vitamin C to make up for our loss of sunshine.

Today we salute the Isles and toast them with a glass of pineapple champagne (available in Maui from the winery there) to accompany a handful of healthful and delicious recipes. First, a unique salad, featuring a trio of surprising fruits topped with a savory Asian dressing. A great main dish go-with could be grilled Mahi-Mahi or prawns.

Hawaiian Salad

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

(or walnuts or cashews)

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 11-ounce can mandarin

orange sections, drained

1 11-ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained (drink the juice!)

2 firm/ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced into wedges

Romaine lettuce (about 2 heads, rinsed, patted dry, torn into bite-size pieces

In a small frypan, shake macadamias over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Pour from pan.

In large bowl, mix vinegar, oil, sugar, soy, ginger and mustard. Add prepared/drained fruits and avocados to bowl, mix gently into the dressing.

Add lettuce and macadamias, lifting and mixing with large salad forks to gently combine all ingredients and evenly coat them with dressing. Salt and pepper to taste; serve chilled.

Pineapple and avocado — that perfect marriage — star again in a main dish salad perhaps to be accompanied by steamed rice, flecked with chives.

Pineapple Chicken Salad

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoonns lime juice

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon hot water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salad:

1 pound boneless, skinless

chicken breast fillets

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups torn romaine lettuce

1 1/2 cups diced pineapple

1 cup thin-sliced red bell pepper

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

To make dressing, stir together pineapple juice, vinegar, lime juice, sugar and cumin in small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil, beating constantly until combined, then whisk in hot water.

Stir in cilantro. Remove 2 tablespoons to a smaller bowl; cover and refrigerate remaining dressing.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and grill over medium hot coals (or in-home broiler). Cook for about 20 minutes, turning and basting with the 2 tablespoons dressing, until cooked through. Cool, then chill and cut into bite-size strips.

Assembly: Place 1 cup romaine in 4 individual bowls; top each with equal amounts of chicken, pineapple, bell pepper, avocado and onion. Drizzle with chilled dressing.

Hawaii is truly international in its cuisine. Residents from China, Japan, the Philippines as well as the Near East rub shoulders with mainlander U.S. citizens who have opted for warmer climes in which to retire — or perhaps set up business. Such a cosmopolitan mix makes for delectable dining, for whatever the menu, the ingredients all say “Hawaii!” Coconut and Mahi-Mahi take center stage in this great Indian-inspired curry dish.

Coconut Fish Curry

1/3 cup shredded coconut

plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup minced onion

1 medium serrano chile, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

(or preserved or candied ginger)

1/3 cup AND 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground

2 tablespoons mild (not hot) curry powder*

2/3 cup water

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 ripe, medium mango, peeled, cut into bite size pieces

2 1/4 pounds Mahi Mahi OR salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1 1/4-inch chunks

Salt

Cilantro, minced for garnish (optional)

Combine 1/3 cup shredded coconut, onion, garlic, serrano and ginger with the 1/3 cup coconut milk and process to a paste in blender or with mortar and pestle.

In a large, deep skillet, heat oil to medium-low, then add coconut paste and cook, stirring till fragrant. Add fennel and curry powder, cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add remaining 3/4 cup coconut milk, water, tomatoes, mango and sugar. Bring to a simmer, scraping bits from bottom of skillet.

Simmer about 10 minutes, then season fish with salt and add to skillet. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring gently occasionally, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve the curry over plain white rice, sprinkled with cilantro leaves and toasted coconut if desired.

• If you don’t have a good curry on hand, stir up the following: 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1/4 teaspoon EACH ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, mustard and fenugreek.

Remember, Hawaiian fruits make wonderful desserts, alone or as garnish. Scoop ice cream over a slice of pineapple, or slice mango or papaya over ice cream or pound cake servings. Sprinkle it all with coconut — and don’t forget the coconut to toss with butter-sauteed shrimp. You can enjoy the islands anytime right at your dinner table!

(Editor’s note: For many years, Valle Novak has written gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. “Weekend Gardener” and “Country Chef” became renowned for their humor, information, and common sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. While she recently retired, she has shared a number of columns to delight her many fans. This is one such column and was originally published on Jan. 31, 2010.)