Top Chef, Season 2
Episode 12 Recipes
Ilan Hall
Morcilla & Squid Lau Lau
Lau Lau is a Hawaiian dish typically consisting of pork and fish wrapped in leaves and steamed or grilled.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
4 taro leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 pieces dried Morcilla sausage, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
2 squid, tubes only, cleaned, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
1 large banana leaf, cut into 4 strips
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Directions:
1. Fill a large pot with water and 2 tablespoons salt. Add taro leaves. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 hours, adding more water if level gets too low.
2. Remove leaves from water and drain well. Allow to cool to room temperature and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Add dried sausage and reduce heat to low. Cook until sausage is beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. Add smoked paprika and stir to combine. Season to taste.
4. Heat a grill to high.
5. On a clean work surface, spread out the banana leaf pieces. Divide the onion and sausage mixture among the banana leaves. Divide squid into four portions and arrange on top of sausage mixture. Top each piece with a cooked taro leaf. Wrap each bundle carefully in the banana leaf until it is completely sealed. Secure with toothpick if necessary.
6. Place bundles on the grill, sausage side down. Grill for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, unwrap and serve immediately.
Note: Taro leaf must be cooked for at least 2 hours, to cook out toxins that may cause an allergic reaction in the throat.
