Hosting an End-of-Summer Hawaiian Luau and Wine Pairing Party

Hosting a summer Hawaiian luau is the perfect ending to the season. The combination of Polynesian music, fresh fruits, roast pork, and macadamia nuts paired with Hawaiian wines is certain to please guests and leave them begging you to host another luau next summer.

Summer Hawaiian luaus are the perfect venue for creating a themed party. Decorations are easy to find and can include flower leis, inflatable palm trees, paper lanterns, tiki torches and statues, and coconut drink cups or can holders. Put your favorite Don Ho album on the record player, turn on a bubble maker and let the good times roll.

When hosting a summer Hawaiian luau it's best to prepare foods ahead of time so you can enjoy the party. The great thing about Hawaiian foods is they don't require a lot of preparation or cooking time.

I like to go all out and serve Hawaiian wines at my luau parties. These can be hard to find, but with a little advanced planning you can order directly from the wineries. My favorites include Volcano Winery on the Big Island and Maui's Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch. Volcano Winery does not have mainland distributors, so wines must be ordered directly. Some states prohibit delivery, so if you plan to order, be certain to check availability.

FIRST COURSE: AHI POKE WITH HAWAIIAN GUAVA WINE

Poke is a traditional Hawaiian comfort food. On the mainland it is often referred to as tuna tartare. Use fresh tuna when possible and serve on a bed of thinly sliced green and red cabbage. This dish pairs well with Hawaiian Guava Wine from Volcano Winery.

Ahi Poke Recipe

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chill Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Tuna Steaks, sliced paper thin

1/4 cup Soy sauce

1/3 cup Green Onions, thin diagonal slices

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

2 teaspoons Sesame seeds, toasted

2 teaspoons crushed Red Pepper flakes

1 cup Green Cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup Red Cabbage, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a medium metal bowl, add all ingredients and gently mix together with hands.

2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

3. Thinly slice red and green cabbage and place 1/2 cup on individual serving plates. Top with Poke and serve immediately.

Hawaiian Guava is an award-winning wine that presents with a beautiful golden colored. This wine is made from a blend of the tropical guava fruit and white grapes and produced at the winery situated 4,000 feet above sea level. It sells for $20 per bottle and is best served well-chilled.

SECOND COURSE: SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD WITH PINOT GRIGIO WINE

This is a super simple salad with a homemade poppy seed dressing that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Guests will appreciate the fresh flavor of the dressing and delicate balance of ingredients. This salad pairs well with Volcano Winery Pinot Grigio wine.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad Recipe

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Spinach, washed and stems removed

1 pint fresh Strawberries, stems removed and quartered

1/3 cups Almond slices, toasted

Dressing:

1/4 cup granulated Sugar

2 teaspoons sweet Onion, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons Sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Wash and dry spinach, remove stems, and transfer to a salad bowl.

2. Wash and dry strawberries, remove stems, and cut into quarters. Add to spinach.

3. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

4. To make dressing, place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Transfer to a salad dressing bottle or gravy boat and refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. To toast almonds, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until medium golden brown. Cool and store in airtight container.

6. To serve drizzle dressing over salad and toss then top with toasted almonds.

Volcano Winery's Pinot Grigio is light-bodied wine that presents with notes of tropical citrus and green apple. It pairs well with fresh greens, cheese and crackers, seafood, shellfish, and light pasta dishes. Volcano Winery offers this well-balanced dry white wine for $22 per bottle.

THIRD COURSE: OVEN KALUA PIG WITH ROASTED SWEET POTATOES AND ULUPALAKUA RED WINE

No luau is complete without roasted pig. While the traditional method involves roasting a whole pig in banana leaves buried underground, Oven Kalua Pig is a good alternative. This dish is served with Ulupalakua Red wine from Maui's Winery. The sour cherry and licorice notes pair well with the smoky oven-roasted pork and enhance the nuttiness of the sweet potatoes.

Oven Kalua Pig with Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2-1/2 to 3 hours

Ingredients:

3 pounds Pork butt

2-1/2 teaspoons Hawaiian salt or Kosher salt

1-1/2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke

4 medium Sweet Potatoes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Using a carving fork, pierce pork butt on both sides and ends. Rub salt and liquid smoke into meat.

3. Place pork butt fat side up in a deep roasting pan. Cover and roast in oven for 2 hours.

4. Wash sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Add to pork butt. Cover and cook until internal temperature of pork reaches 160 degrees.

4. Remove pork butt from roasting pan and let sit for 15 minutes. Continue cooking sweet potatoes until fork tender.

5. Using two forks, shred pork and serve with a side of roasted sweet potatoes.

Maui's Winery is the only commercial vineyard on the island. They specialize in sparkling and dessert wines including sparkling pineapple and grape wines and their coveted raspberry dessert wine.

Ulupalakua Red is a blend of Merlot and Syrah with notes of dried cranberry, blackberry, plum, raspberry, and blueberry jam. It is the perfect accompaniment with BBQ and grilled meats and is available via Maui's Winery website for $15 per bottle, plus shipping.

FOURTH COURSE: PINEAPPLE MACADAMIA NUT LOAF WITH MACADAMIA NUT HONEY WINE

Just as you need roasted pork at Hawaiian luaus, no meal would be complete without pineapple. The following Pineapple Macadamia Nut Loaf is a convenient dessert choice because it can be made a day ahead and doesn't require fancy garnishes or whipped cream.

While serving this dessert with Macadamia Nut Honey wine might seem like overkill, the two actually complement one another quite nicely. Volcano Winery extracts honey from the Island's macadamia nut trees and transforms it into a delicate and sweet dessert wine.

Pineapple Macadamia Nut Loaf

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 50 to 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated Sugar

4 Eggs

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup fresh Pineapple, finely chopped

1 cup fresh Pineapple Juice

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

3 cups all-purpose Flour

1 cup Macadamia nuts, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Lightly grease a 9"x5" loaf pan and line with wax paper.

3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, pineapple, and pineapple juice and mix well by hand.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together baking powder and flour. Add to pineapple mixture and gently stir until ingredients are incorporated. Fold in macadamia nuts.

5. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

The flavor profile of Volcano Winery's Macadamia Nut Honey Wine is reminiscent of the sweetness of the Island. This award-winning wine pairs well with nearly any dessert, fruits, and soft cheeses. It is available through Volcano Winery website for $20 per bottle.

Sources:
AlohaFriendsLuau.com: Popular Luau Recipes
Volcano Winery
Maui's Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch