# A Lauau Menu...HELP!



## soochr (May 12, 2001)

Hi all

This north east minded italian caterer needs a little input from you wonderful people about what to serve at a lauau. It's got to be easy easy easy...i have a very limited kitchen. Anye menu ideas would be greatly appreciated. There will be 40 ppl and she just wants a drop off. She's extremely easy and I don't want to turn this down. I know there's a way. Any suggestions???
Thanks so much.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Hi Suzanne,

There's a similar topic in the Recipe Exchange forum under *Polynesian Apps*.

You might want to check it out!


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Hello Suzanne, I had a luau, (gosh, I can't spell it) at the sorority house for the girls once. I did shrimp and chicken kabobs, fresh fruit salad and yellow rice. I made islands for table centerpieces out of food too. I took a half of a potato, stuck leaf lettuce all over it like grass with toothpicks, took whole carrots and made nicks in it to make it look like a tree trunk, then stuck it into the island with a toothpick. Next I took green peppers and cut wedges out of it so that it would fit over the carrot umbrella style, and stuck it on with a piece of toothpick. They were impressive, and the girls loved them. The shishkabobs were easy. I marinated shrimp and chicken breast chunks in Teriyaki sauce, as well as pineapple chunks, green pepper and onion chunks. The rice was made brilliant yellow with saffron and flavored with chicken broth and parsley. I'm sure that the real chefs here can fancy this up enough for you to still make it easy. Fish is another thought. Fresh tuna kabobs. Wow, Shroomgirl, what a gorgeous layout. I can't wait for MY next luau now 

[ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

When you want advice the best thing you can do to get accurate info is give lots of information.....how many, location, equipment, type of party, time of day, type of guests, costs....

When I think of Hawaii I think, macadamia nuts, pineapple, papaya, coconut,pork, fish, poi (gag).....polynesian type foods...

Banana leaves as garnish or used to steam food.Orchids or star fruit garnish well too.

Fish chunks on sugarcane skewers
Chicken teriyaki skewers
pineapple boats with tropical fruit
Macadamia nut encrusted fish or chicken
Wontons....Rangoon....sweet sour dip....I know but people love um....
Watermelon basket with tropical fruits
Coconut bars
Pineapple cake
Green salad with snow peas, red pepper, shiitake, baby corn, ginger dressing


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## markdchef (Jan 26, 2001)

My least favorite chef, cook? Emeril did a show recently about luaus. Go to foodtv.com for info and recipes.

Also, Martha Stewart does a section on luaus in her book Entertaining (great book). Check it out.


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## soochr (May 12, 2001)

hey all...you guys are the best. Thanks to all. my menu so far...kalua pork, skewered swordfish and tuna and marinated in teriyaki garlic sauce, 1/2 fried rice and 1/2 maui pasta salad...i know, i know...it's what she wanted. She also wanted a mandarin orange salad. Dessert we're doing a s;iced orange cake and fruit salad with sour cream and brown sugar. easy easy easy. this clent is extremely easy and her budget is low so i didn't have much to work with. Thanks again all, i really appreciated all the help.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Suzanne,

When is your party? I have a Hawaiian cookbook, don't ask, but I'll only get it back on the 4th. Will it be too late to help you?


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## lotuscakestudio (Jun 28, 2001)

I was born and raised in Hawaii and have been to more luaus than you can shake a stick at. I've never heard or seen many of the foods mentioned so far featured at any luaus. Of course, a must have is kalua pig, and Suzanne has that taken care of.  But there was always lomi lomi salmon, poki, pasteles, poi (hehe, a love/hate food), etc. etc. I'd list desserts, but I'll email my brother first for spelling. Funny how you grow up just knowing the words, but never knowing how to spell them.


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## lotuscakestudio (Jun 28, 2001)

I emailed my older brother who still lives in Hawaii and this is what he had to say about luau food:

"Well, typically, a luau consists of the following: kalua pig, lomi lomi salmon, chicken long rice, squid luau, sweet potato, lau lau (if feasible, it's costly) raw fish (poki), haupia, raw crab, poi, 
kulolo, opihi... just to name a few. This would be a 'typical' luau; I've 
been to many and there are 'other' items that aren't Hawaiian, but we're 
talking authentic here."

Hope that helps!


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