Serving Loco Moco at a Dinner Party
Most people who've visited Hawaii has heard and even tried the Loco Moco, which is probably one of the best-known dishes on the islands. It's truly Hawaiian comfort food and appeals to locals and visitors alike.
So what is a Loco Moco anyway?
Well, it's a simple concoction that's basically a bowl of rice, with a hamburger patty on top, topped by a fried egg smothered in lots of gravy. Yes that's all there is to it. I know it's not the healthiest of foods, but trust me, it's good!
So the other day I got to thinking. How can I take the Loco Moco to a different level? I mean is it even possible to amp it up just a bit, perhaps elevating this dish into haute cuisine? Well, the opportunity to do just that came up this past weekend as my friends came over for a casual get-together.
New-Wave Loco Moco
The end result of my "new wave" Loco Moco didn't exactly turn out haute-cuisine, but it did look fancier and at least tasted just like a real Loco Moco. And although I think I prefer it the old-fashioned way, I had fun with this and it managed to surprise my dinner guests that evening.
Helpful Tips:
- Use short-grain rice for best results as they need to be sticky.
- I used instant gravy mix but you can substitute your own homemade version if you like.
- I like my eggs on the runny side, but hard-boiled eggs work just fine.
Ingredients
- 2 cups steamed rice
- 2 cups ground beef
- 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs ( or panko crumbs )
- 5 eggs
- 1 packet gravy mix
- Salt and pepper
- 2 -3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Cook the rice.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Put ground beef in bowl with 1 egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix with hands until combined.
- Prepare the mold by greasing all sides with a little oil or butter. You can also use a non-stick mold.
- Add a tablespoon of cooked rice into the bottom of the mold. Flatten with back of spoon.
- Add a tablespoon of ground beef mixture and place on top of the rice layer. Flatten with spoon.
- Repeat the rice layer, followed by another layer of meat mixture. Smooth the top of the mixture.
- Bake in oven for 35 minutes or until meat is done.
- Make the gravy by following packet instructions. Add Worcestershire sauce to taste.
- Make 4 sunny-side up eggs in a frying pan.
- Once the meat/rice loaf is done, take out of the oven and divide into 4 servings.
- Plate each square onto a plate and place an egg on top.
- Pour gravy over everything and serve with some soy sauce and tabasco on the side.