Eyeing a tub of broccoli stems, I ask Chef Nick what she’ll make with it, and she expounds on the zero-waste efforts in the Moku Roots kitchen. “Because we see value in all parts of the plant, I developed a recipe to incorporate the stems. It takes a little time to remove the woody outside of the broccoli, but the stem is edible, so why waste it?” Effortlessly, she pours the raw, finely chopped broccoli stems from the food processor into a bowl and mixes them with fresh herbs, a scoop of mac-nut cream, and chia seeds puréed in water, which will act as a binder, the way eggs do. Alexa sprinkles oat flour over the mixture as Chef Nick massages it to the right consistency. “Why oat flour?” asks Rita. Chef Nick answers like a walking, talking cookbook, “Because, like oatmeal that you cook for breakfast, it absorbs the moisture. If you save some of the broccoli-fritter batter for the next day, you may need to adjust the moisture content, because oats are hydroscopic and keeps absorbing water until [they’re] 100 percent saturated. We also use it in our falafel at the restaurant. It’s gluten-free.”
Golden-brown mushroom Wellington emerges from the oven, the scent of its buttery sweetness spiraling through the kitchen, blending with the smoke and char of watermelon baked “ham.” Our senses are filled with delicious aromas and flavors as we greet our new favorite dishes with oohs and aahs. Slices of tender red watermelon against the white plate evoke comments from the MNKO crew: “Looks like steak.” “It looks like sashimi.” We are anxious to try it!
When all the dishes are complete, including aioli for the fritters, a balsamic vinegar reduction for the Wellington, gravy for the mashed potatoes, and a spiced kabocha pumpkin pie, we adjourn to the lānai and toast Alexa and Erica, whose vision of a healthy, plant-based restaurant and stewardship of Maui Nui garnered the talents of Chef Nick for all of us. Mahalo, Chef. Mālama ka ‘āina. Thank you for caring for the land.
