Gourmet Cuisine Island Style

Originally from the East Coast of the US, with twenty years experience as a chef, Michael Gallagher combines his background in traditional mainland cookery with that of the Pacific Rim and Hawaii, producing a book that is a pot pourri of unique flavors. Featuring the fresh fish, fruits, and vegetables which are staples in Hawaiian local cooking, he presents gorgeously illustrated creations--14 appetizers, 10 salads and light entrees, 11 seafood entrees, 12 meat and poultry entrees, and 10 "sweet beginnings and endings." Many recipes are delightfully simple--Guava Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi (my favorite), Sauteed Opakapaka with Guava Strawberry Beurre Blanc, and Grilled Pork Chop with Toasted Maui Onion Mustard--while others are more time-consuming. The Shrimp Lumpia (Filipino spring roll) with Poha Chili Dipping Sauce requires several steps to cut and prepare all the ingredients, roll them in the lumpia wrappers, and deep fry. The Maui Onion Salsa Chicken Burritos are also time-consuming for the same reasons. For the most part the recipes are clear and easy to follow, after the cook has chopped and prepared all the ingredients. Most entrees require 10 - 15 minutes of last minute cooking, often on the grill. Two recipes, the Guava Waffles and Guava French toast, really require no recipes at all, since the "guava" is the result of commercial guava syrup. The desserts are heavy on the flavored creme brulees and full-fat ice cream, and look beautiful, but those who are not fans of regular, old-fashioned bread pudding probably won't be excited by the Guava Macadamia Nut Bread Pudding. When used in combination with some make-ahead recipes for other parts of a meal, this cookbook allows a cook to present a fresh and tasty entree, without too much time away from his/her guests. I use this book primarily for the fish preparations and for the terrific sauces and marinades--the Guava Chili Sauce (for ribs), the Toasted Maui Onion Vinaigrette, the Poha Chili Dipping Sauce, and the Hawaiian Pepper Jelly Sauce (for lamb). An attractive and useful gift book containing 57 recipes, Gourmet Cuisine is filled with good ideas and beautiful presentations. n Mary Whipple