Transport yourself to the tropics by preparing poke at home

I don't know about you, but as I look out my window at the gray sky, I long for some sunshine and all those things associated with it. But I know I won't be able to sit in a lawn chair on an Illinois beach any time soon. So, I decided to bring the tropics home by re-creating a unique appetizer my son, daughter-in-law and I enjoyed while on a special vacation in Hawaii a few years ago: tuna poke nachos.

I will admit to liking basic sushi, but I am not an expert. So, when my son, always an adventurous eater, told me he and his wife were on a poke (pronounced poh-KAY) quest while we were in Hawaii, it didn't surprise me. However, before joining in their mission, I needed help answering the question, "What is poke?"

According to GuideMichelin.com, native Hawaiians took to the Pacific when they were hungry, and they would prepare their fresh daily catch of raw reef fish by salting, slicing and adding limu (seaweed). Its humble beginnings were from fishermen seasoning the cut-offs of their haul to consume as a snack. The word "poke" literally translates "cut into chunks," in Hawaiian. The dawning of poke as a name apparently coincided with the increasing availability of ahi (tuna). But visit any poke counter today and you'll find not just ahi poke but kimchi shrimp, furikake salmon, miso tako (octopus), pipikaula (dried beef) and even bacalao poke made with Portuguese dried salt cod.

Bite-sized fresh raw fish is marinated in a soy mixture typically containing citrus juice or rice vinegar, ginger, wasabi, sesame oil and sesame seeds. The mixture is allowed to marinade at least 15 minutes before serving.

Now educated, I joined their quest to have poke in some form every day of our vacation. We ate poke by itself, with rice and vegetables in bowls, tacos and salads.

In Hawaii, there are quick-service restaurants devoted entirely to poke. Our favorite was a little place called Poke On Da Run, where we waited in a line that spilled out the door and into the street and found our favorite preparation, poke nachos.

Instead of tortilla chips, wonton chips provide the base before being topped with poke, diced avocado, a generous drizzle of teriyaki sauce and Sriracha mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, strips of nori and sliced green onion. It is the perfect bite of crunchy, salty, creamy and spicy with a touch of sweetness. For those who would rather skip the poke, they also serve a delicious kalua pig version made with seasoned shredded pork. Yep, you guessed it, we had both.

My biggest challenge in making this dish at home was figuring out where to purchase the ahi tuna. The best advice I can give you is to talk directly with the expert at your local fish counter and tell them you are making poke, so you need a cut of ahi appropriate for this preparation. I was able to find it fairly easily and have confidence you will too. But if the thought of cutting and marinating the fish yourself sounds daunting, prepared poke can be found in some Asian grocery stores as well as at some restaurants. If you decide to purchase your poke, be sure it has been made fresh and is from a trusted source.

At the restaurant, nachos are served with fried wonton chips. I could not find packaged wonton chips, so I decided to make my own. Prepared wonton wrappers are available in the Asian section of most supermarket produce departments, and one package was plenty for our family. I used a pizza cutter to cut each wrapper into triangles, placed them on a prepared baking sheet, and gave them a quick mist of cooking oil spray before adding a sprinkle of salt and baking. Be careful not to add too much salt or allow them to brown too much; they only need to be crisp. Preparing the entire package of wonton wrappers didn't take very long as each tray of chips only required to spend about 4 to 6 minutes in the oven.

If nachos aren't for you, but the poke still tempts you, please try this recipe. You won't be disappointed.

Create your nacho masterpiece before you are ready to serve by layering all ingredients on a large platter. Whatever you do, do not let any of the precious poke go to waste. And, if you are ever in Hawaii on the island of Oahu, be sure to visit Poke On Da Run. You won't regret it.

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.

Tuna Poke Nachos

Baked wonton chips (see recipe)

8 ounces tuna poke (see recipe)

1 avocado, cut into small cubes

¼ cup chopped green onions

2 to 3 tablespoons sriracha mayonnaise - prepared or homemade (see note)

2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

¼ cup nori, cut into ¼- to ½-inch pieces with scissors (dried seaweed used in sushi found in the Asian aisle)

Place a layer of chips on the platter. Sprinkle with ½ of each: tuna, avocado, green onion and a drizzle of sriracha mayo and teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with ½ of the sesame seeds. Repeat and top with nori.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Penny Kazmier

Baked Wonton Chips

1 package wonton wrappers (typically found in the produce section)

Cooking spray

Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Cut wonton wrappers into 4 triangles. Place on lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little salt, but be careful not to oversalt. Bake 4-6 minutes and remove from the tray to cool. Repeat until you have baked as many chips as you'd like. Cool before serving. Store in an airtight container. (Depending on how many chips you use, an entire package of wonton wrappers may be more than you will need for one recipe.)

Makes enough to serve 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Penny Kazmier

Tuna Poke

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons yuzu juice (you may substitute equal parts lime and orange juice)

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus additional for garnish

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

¼ to ½ teaspoon wasabi powder

Generous pinch sugar

8 ounces fresh sushi-grade tuna, cut into ½-inch cubes

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Allow tuna to marinate in the refrigerator at least 10-15 minutes.

Note: For sriracha mayonnaise, combine equal parts mayonnaise (Kewpie is my favorite brand for this, but feel free to use your favorite brand) and sriracha hot sauce in a bowl. For easy dispensing, transfer to a bottle with a "squirt top." Note: You can regulate the amount of spiciness by adding more or less of each ingredient.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Penny Kazmier