Don’t let the fear of cooking keep you from inviting friends over for a pau-hana get-together. Make one of the easiest appetizers by taking advantage of a delicious smoked ahi spread available at many grocery stores.
Look in the deli section or the seafood area for the spread made by Kokohead Foods.
You can certainly just serve the spread on any type of cracker. But for a wow factor, use it to stuff pickled round peppers that are sweet, yet slightly hot. The peppers are sold by the pound at the olive bars near deli sections of many markets.
The combination is addictive, as the red peppers are easy to pick up and pop into your mouth. You don’t even need to put down your drink!
I find the smoky taste of the dip a bit overwhelming, so I add canned tuna and mayonnaise to tone it down. This also helps your pocketbook as canned tuna is about one-fourth the price of the smoked ahi.
I prefer a canned tuna packed in oil, not water. It has a lot more flavor.
Garnish with any vegetables you have in the refrigerator and enjoy your easy appetizer.
PICKLED PEPPERS STUFFED WITH SMOKED AHI
- 4 ounces smoked ahi spread
- 3-1/2 ounces canned tuna in olive oil, drained
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (Best Food preferred)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 24 peppadew peppers or other sweet hot pickled peppers, drained
In a bowl, mix ahi spread with canned tuna, mayonnaise and pepper until all the chunks are gone. Stuff peppers with mixture. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate until serving. Makes about 24.
>> Garnishes: Flat leaf parsley, sliced cucumber or celery
>> Variations: An easier method is to stuff the peppers with straight ready-made smoked ahi spread, not mixed with tuna. Other toppings could include pickled onions, fresh-cut jalapeno peppers, black olives or capers. Serve on a leaf of Manoa or bibb lettuce if you want to work in more vegetables.
Nutritional information unavailable.
”Easy Kine” features simple dishes that start with commercially prepared ingredients. Lynette Lo Tom is excited to hear your tried-and-true suggestions. Contact her at 275-3004, email lynette@brightlightcookery.com or via instagram at @brightlightcookery.
