Ming Tsai rides an ATV on his way to a coffee farm in Kona, Hawaii.

Ingredients:

2 onions, roughly chopped
1 Tbs. minced ginger
2 Tbs. minced garlic
2 jalapenos, de-stemmed, roughly chopped
2 cups Roma tomatoes, strained
2 cups strongly brewed Kona coffee
pink salt and black pepper, to taste
1-lb. baking potatoes, like russets, peeled and quartered
2 cups heavy cream
6 cloves garlic
1/4-cup chopped chives
4 (1/2-lb.) pieces Ahi tuna, cut into square cubes
1 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten with 1 Tbs. water
1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely ground
1/2-lb.salad greens, preferably Hawaiian
1 lime, juiced

Directions:

1. In a sauce pan coated lightly with canola oil, caramelize the onions, ginger, garlic and jalapenos.
   
2. Add tomatoes and coffee and bring to a simmer.
   
3. Using a hand blender, buzz until smooth and check for seasoning.
   
4. Adjust with pink salt and black pepper to taste.

Directions: Potato Puree

1. Boil the potatoes until fork tender.
   
2. In a sauce pan, reduce the cream with the garlic cloves by 1/3.
   
3. Hand mash with the potatoes and check seasoning.
   
4. Fold in chives.

Directions: Final steps

1. Season the tuna well.
   
2. Dredge the tuna in flour, then eggs, then nuts.
   
3. Shallow fry in canola oil on all sides.
   
4. Keep the tuna rare.
   
5. Slice the tuna on the bias.
   
6. On a large plate, sauce the plate with the BBQ sauce.
   
7. Place a small mound greens down and drizzle with lime juice.
   
8. Top with mashed potatoes, then top with tuna.

Beverage: Mai Tai.

Copyright, 2000, Ming Tsai, All Rights Reserved