Hunter’s Stew Wellington

3 lb. smoked ham hocks
water
ice
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 lb. beef, medium diced
750 mL. pinot noir red wine
¼ cup tarragon
1 cup thyme
1 cup rosemary
¼ cup Italian parsley
½ cup Hamakua Ali’i mushrooms (Oyster mushrooms), sliced
2 ½ lb. onion, divided
1 lb. carrot, medium diced
garlic, minced, divided
1 tbsp. black peppercorns, ground
salt
1 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. 4 grain mustard or horseradish
1 lb. potato medly (sweet potatoes, white potatoes), medium diced, skin removed (optional)
3 pkg. puff pastry
egg wash
2 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar, distilled
6 cup Kona coffee cherry skin an juice only (discard the beans)
½ cup dried figs, thinly sliced
¼ cup candy ginger, fine julienne
¼ tsp. dried Hawaiian chili peppers, minced
1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
½ cup cornstarch slurry

Place ham hocks in a pot filled with enough water to cover the meat then boil for 4 to 6 hours or until soft. Discard the water then add ice into the pot to cool quickly, set aside. Drain ham hocks, debone and medium dice then set aside.

Next start a pot, big enough to fit your ingredients (with enough room to stir), on high heat. After 2 to 4 minutes add oil then start to brown the beef. Add the beef slowly just enough to cover the bottom of the pot, avoid overcrowding. While browning the beef, remove in small batches until all browned. Try not to burn or scorch the pot. Do not drain the pot residue, on the bottom is the entire flavor!

Deglaze the pot with red wine for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add beef back to the pot, tarragon, thyme, rosemary and Italian parsley and add 1 quart water and let it boil till soft. Check water occasionally to maintain the water level. When meat is tender, add Hamakua mushrooms, 2 lbs. onions, carrots, 1 cup garlic, black peppercorns, salt to taste, tomato paste and mustard or horseradish to the pot and let simmer on medium heat until vegetables are tender. Place in ice water bath to cool to 40°F then refrigerate.

For the potato medley, boil potatoes in salted water (1 tbsp. to 1 gal. water) until soft. Let potatoes cool completely.

When everything is cool, in a clean baking pan, place a few sheets of puff pastry down then place a 12” by 3” section of potato on top. (Note: Keep in mind you are trying to wrap all ingredients in the pastry to bake.) Place a layer of hunter’s stew on the potato layer. Fold the access up then cover the top with more puff pastry. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Before baking, brush with an egg wash for a nice golden brown look. Heat oven to 325°F then bake till golden brown and serve.

For the Kona coffee cherry chutney, add sugar, white vinegar, Kona coffee cherry skin and juice only, ½ lb. (1 cup) onion, dried figs, candy ginger, 1 clove garlic, Hawaiian chili pepper, and ground cinnamon to a pot. Let boil for 5 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour cornstarch slurry into mixture then set aside to cool for an hour. Serve aside wellington.

Recipe By:

Ash Danao, Kona Coffee Recipe Contest Winner: Professional Savory – 3rd Place

Prep + Cook Time:

9 hrs 59 mins

Serving Size:

5 servings