Hawaiian Bruschetta

Jeff insists that there is a world of difference between a ‘vacation’ and a ‘trip’.  And he’s right.  According to Jeff, a vacation involves a beach, some sunblock, and a drink with an umbrella in it.  A trip is just about anything else.  A vacation is about pure relaxation.  A trip, on the other hand, could involve visiting family, exploring a new city, or even work. 

But in the world according to Jeff, it has been a long time since we have had a vacation. Which may be why I have been dreaming of Hawaii.  I loved everything about Maui when we went a few years ago.  Pretty beaches, colorful fish, amazing hikes.  But most of all I loved the fusion of flavors.  The variety of influences, the quirky allegiance to retro ingredients, the fresh produce, and the long culinary heritage combine to form a unique food scene. 

So when the folks at Kings Hawaiian Bread asked me to come up with a creative brunch spread using their round bread, it seemed totally natural to cross cultures.  Living here in the North End of Boston, with Italian pastry shops on every corner and the smell of garlic in the air, bruschetta is always on my mind.  And it’s fantastic anytime of day, with a variety of toppings.

The rich, sweet flavor of Kings Hawaiian bread is a fantastic foil for all things spicy, sweet, creamy and savory.  So I went for all of the above.  The variety of toppings made for a fun brunch spread – and would be great for a crowd.  Round out the meal with a big bowl of fresh fruit salad, a little dish of macadamia nuts, and plenty of Kona coffee and you’ve got yourself a party.  Brunch entertaining is the way to go.  Easy, fun, and inexpensive.

I love this pineapple salsa – it would be as great on grilled fish as it is on toasty, buttery bread.

And who knew that pancetta and pineapple were a match made in heaven?  The mild cream cheese, sweet pineapple, salty pancetta and crunchy banana chips are an unlikely, but exciting combination.

Soft scrambled eggs, parmesan cheese, and Maui onions are a no-brainer, but the Hawaiian bread makes all the difference. The sweet, soft bread turns simple eggs into decadence.

It wouldn’t be Hawaiian without some pork, would it?  The quick teriyaki sauce on this ham is salty, spicy, sweet and intense.  Sliced thinly, this makes a fantastic bruschetta topping, but you could buy Kings Hawaiian rolls instead, cut the ham in thick chunks, and make some wonderful warm sandwiches.

Bruschetta with Pineapple Salsa

Serves 4

2 thick slices Kings Hawaiian round bread

cooking spray

1/4 cup chopped pineapple

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cut the bread slices in half so that you have 4 smaller pieces.  Spray the bread with cooking spray and grill in a cast iron pan or on a griddle over medium heat until slightly browned. Mix together the pineapple, onion, jalapeno, parsley, and lime juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve the bread with the salsa topping.

Bruschetta with Pineapple Cream Cheese and Pancetta

Serves 4

2 thick slices Kings Hawaiian round bread

4 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup minced pineapple

8 slices pancetta

1/4 cup banana chips

Cut the bread slices in half so that you have 4 smaller pieces.  Spray the bread with cooking spray and grill in a cast iron pan or on a griddle over medium heat until slightly browned. Meanwhile, whip the cream cheese with the pineapple.  Cook the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until slightly crisp.  Spread the cream cheese mixture on the bread and top each with two pieces of pancetta.  Sprinkle with banana chips.

Bruschetta with Scrambled Eggs and Maui Onion

Serves 4

2 thick slices Kings Hawaiian round bread

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup thinly sliced Maui onion (or Vidalia onion)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt to taste

3 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cut the bread slices in half so that you have 4 smaller pieces.  Spray the bread with cooking spray and grill in a cast iron pan or on a griddle over medium heat until slightly browned. Melt half the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Saute the onion until very soft, about 15 minutes.  Add the vinegar and cook another 3 minutes more.  Season with salt to taste.  In another skillet, melt the remaining butter over low heat.  Beat the eggs with the milk.  Add the eggs to the skillet and stir continuously for about 5 minutes creamy scrambled eggs.  When the eggs are almost set, stir in the cheese.  Top the bread slices with the onion and the eggs. 

Bruschetta with Teriyaki Ham

Serves 4

2 thick slices Kings Hawaiian round bread

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili sauce)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (8 ounce) ham steak

2 tablespoons sliced Maui onion, optional

Cut the bread slices in half so that you have 4 smaller pieces.  Spray the bread with cooking spray and grill in a cast iron pan or on a griddle over medium heat until slightly browned. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the pineapple juice, lime juice, zest, soy sauce, and chili sauce until reduced by half.  In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the ham steak and cook until slightly brown, flip and cook another 2 minutes to brown on both sides.  Add the sauce to the pan with the ham steak and cook over low heat, turning the ham and swirling the pan every so often for about 10 minutes, until most of the sauce has cooked away.  Remove the ham from the pan and slice very thin.  Arrange the ham on the bread and garnish with onion if desired.