Chef Dayne Tanabe Shares Tips For The Perfect Backyard Luau

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Before the kids head back to school, treat your family and friends to the perfect backyard luau. Fire up the tiki torches and the grill and you've got yourself a summer luau! Well, almost.

Chef Dayne Tanabe stopped by KCAL9 Monday to share tips for creating luau favorites in your own backyard. He demonstrated how to make Hawaiian-inspired dishes using fresh, seasonal and local ingredients.

Tanabe is commonly referred to as "the culinary expert" at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Hawaii as he creates luau masterpieces on a daily basis for the hotel.

For more information on Tanabe and the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Hawaii, click here.

Luau Recipes

Ahi Carpaccio (Yield 4 people)

8 oz.  Fresh Ahi

4 oz.  Julienne Green Onions

4 oz.  Kaiware Sprouts or Daikon Sprouts

4 oz.  Bubu Arare

1 T    Sesame Oil

4 oz.  Cilantro Macadamia Nut Pesto

4 oz.  Wasabi Soy Pearls

1/8 tsp  Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

Method:  Place Ahi block between 2 pieces of siran wrap. With a large paddle or flat saute pan, gently pound ahi until 1/4 inch thin. Remove siran wrap and place on plate. Brush Ahi with sesame oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Drizzle cilantro macadamia nut pesto over Ahi and sprinkle bubu arare. Place one spoon full of the wasabi soy pearls in the middle of the Ahi and garnish with julienne green onions and kaiware sprouts.

Cilantro Macadamia Nut Pesto (Yield 4 people)

4 oz.  Fresh Cilantro

2 oz.  Macadamia Nuts

1 T    Minced Garlic

2 oz. Grated Parmesan Cheese

4 oz. Salad Oil

1/8 tsp  Kosher Salt

1/8 tsp  Table Grind Black Pepper

Method: In a blender, add cilantro, macadamia nuts, garlic, cheese and oil. Blend until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

Wasabi Soy Pearls (Yields 4 people)

4 oz.  Tapioca Pearls

2 C    H2O

2 T    Wasabi Powder

2 T    H2O

4 oz.    Soy Sauce

Method:  In a small bowl, add wasabi powder and water to make a paste. Add soy sauce to make wasabi soy mix. In a small sauce pot, add water and bring to a boil. Add tapioca pearls and cook for 15 minutes until pearls are translucent. Strain out the pearls and place immediately into the wasabi soy mixture. Let pearls set overnight. Before you serve, wrinse pearls in plain soy sauce.

Smoked Pork Belly (Yields 4 people)

1 #  Pork Belly (whole)

1 T  Minced Garlic

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1 oz. Liquid Smoke (if smoking with chips, cold smoke for 2 hours)

1 Qt  H2O

1/2 C Sugar

1/4 C Kosher Salt

4 oz. Sea Asparagus or Sea Weed (Ogo)

4 oz. Julienne Green Onions

Method: In a pot, add salt, sugar and water. Bring to a boil to dissolve salt and sugar. Cool and add red pepper, garlic, liquid smoke and pork belly. Brine pork overnight. Set oven at 175 degrees. Drain pork belly and wrap in foil and roast for 2 1/2 hours. Cool before cutting. Slice 4 1/2 inch slices per order. In a saute pan, season sliced pork belly with salt and pepper on both sides and sear off in pan. This is to crisp up the meat and heat through as well.

Pickle Kula Onions (Yield 8 people)

1/2 C White Vinegar

1 C   Sugar

4 tsp  Salt

2 C   Water

1 pc.  Minced Hawaiian Chili Pepper

2 pc.  Julienne Kula Onion or Sweet Onion

Method:  In a pot, add water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve salt and sugar. Cool and add vinegar chili and onions. Place in a airtight jar and leave out at room temperature for 3 days. After third day, place in refrigerator.

Guava Gastrique (Yield 4 people)

1 Cup  Rice Vinegar

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Guava Base

Method:  In a sauce pot, add sugar and vinegar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium to low heat and reduce by half for 5 minutes. Add guava base and reduce for 2 minutes until it reaches a glaze consistency. If the mixture gets too thick, add a little hot water to thin out.

Coconut Creme Brulee (Yield 4-6 people)

2 ea.  Fresh Coconuts (cut in half)

8 oz.  Sugar (for crust)

4 oz.  Egg Yolks

2 oz.  Sugar

4 oz.  Coconut Milk

24 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tblspn  Vanilla Extract

2 oz.  Small Diced Mango

2 oz.  Small Diced Lychee

2 oz.  Small Diced Pineapple

2 oz.  Small Diced Strawberry

Method:  in a sauce pot, add cream and coconut milk and scald. In a mixing bowl, add sugar and egg yolks and whip. Add cup of the scalded cream to the egg and sugar mixture and keep whisking to avoid curdling and to temper the egg mixture. Once the eggs have been tempered, add the egg mixture back to the sauce pot with the remaining cream.  Continue to whisk on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Strain creme brulee mixture to remove any cooked particles. Fill ramekins 3/4 of the way and place in pan. Set oven to 325 degrees (convection). Take pan to oven then fill water quarter of the way up the remekin into the pan. Cover remekins with a sheet tray. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate pan after half way of the cooking process. Make sure to check that the cream is set and firm. Let cool and chill in the cooler and set over night.

Fill cleaned coconut shell with cooled creme brulee filling and smooth top with spatula. Sprinkle sugar and brown with a torch or in a salamander.