Hawaiian Recipe of the Month

Beverly Gannon is acclaimed for being one of the 12 original founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement. As chef and owner of Hali’imaile General Store, Joe’s in Wailea and Celebration’s Catering, Beverly creates stylish, down-home menus bursting with island-fresh ingredients and flavors that define her particular style.

Bev was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in the Jewish tradition of eat, eat, eat. "It’s what really got me interested in food and its preparation. I think it’s still what people want: the kind of warm, comforting food that came out of Mom’s kitchen, provided, of course, that Mom was a good cook!"

She has landed numerous awards for her culinary accomplishments, including Honolulu Magazine’s coveted Hale 'Aina Award (2004, 2003, 2002, 1999) and she was voted Maui’s Best Chef in 1997 by readers of The Maui News. Bev was recently nominated for "2004 American Express Best Chef Award: Hawaii and Northwest Region" by the James Beard Foundation. Among her many television appearances, Bev has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's Early Show, the PBS series Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi, The Food Network’s Best of and The Food Hunter and was honored as one of the Great Chefs of Hawaii, a series on the Discovery Channel.

Crunchy Macadamia Nut Chicken Over Tropical Fruit Paella Recipe

2 cups quick rolled oatmeal
1 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (6-ounce) chicken breasts
2 cups butter, melted
1/2 cup canola oil
Fruit paella, recipe follows
Chutney dipping sauce, recipe follows

Place oatmeal in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Place macadamia nuts in food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not stuck together. Add nuts to oatmeal and mix well. Add flour, thyme, and Parmesan to mixture, mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip chicken breasts in butter, then dredge breasts in oatmeal mixture until breasts are well-coated. In large skillet heat canola oil over medium high heat. Add chicken in and fry, turning once until crispy and brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Or just brown and bake in 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve atop fruit paella with a side of chutney dipping sauce.

Pineapple Chutney Dipping Sauce:
2 cups mango chutney
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Serve with chicken.

Tropical Fruit Paella:
2 medium onions, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 stalks lemongrass, crushed
2 cups jasmine rice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped green onion, white part only
1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced
1 small pineapple, diced
1 large star fruit, sliced
1 medium papaya, diced
1 medium mango, diced
2 tablespoons rum

Place rice in sieve and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well. In a saucepan heat the 1/4 cup olive oil and saute onion until softened. Add the lemongrass, rice and salt, stir well. Add broth, stir, cover and cook for 12-16 minutes over medium hat until rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove and discard the lemongrass. Saute garlic and ginger in remaining olive oil about 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add red bell pepper, water chestnuts, and fruits and saute lightly for 2 minutes until heated through. Add rum and flambe to remove alcohol. Toss with rice and serve warm with chicken.