I was so taken with the Royal Loco Moco at The Royal Hawaiian’s Surf Lanai Restaurant that I couldn’t wait to recreate it at home. Maui onions were replaced by yellow onions and hamakua mushrooms with crimini, but the spirit is the same. I like eating it with a few dashes of Tabasco. If this is the closest I can get to having some aloha in my kitchen, then I’m quite content.
This may be prepared in a slow cooker or in the oven. If using the oven, preheat to 275 degrees.
Place an ovenproof casserole dish, Dutch oven, or heatproof slow cooker insert over medium heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until it is very hot but not yet smoking. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
Add short ribs to the pot, working in batches if necessary (take care not to let the short ribs touch – you run the risk of them steaming rather than browning). Cook ribs until browned, about 10 minutes. Do not rush! Remove ribs from casserole dish, and set aside.
Remove excess fat, leaving just about 2-3 Tbsp in the casserole dish.
Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to oil in the casserole dish, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden - about 10 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and cook a few minutes more.
Add flour and tomato paste to the casserole dish, and stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with the wine; stir with wooden spoon until all browned bits have been scraped from the pan. Simmer, then add beef stock.
Return the browned ribs to the casserole dish and add the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the casserole dish, and place it in the oven or slow cooker. If using a slow cooker, cook on high setting. Cook until ribs are very tender, about 3 hours.
Rice
Prepare rice. See the notes for my way to cook rice.
Crisp and Spicy Fried Onions
Stir the thin onion slices in a bath of buttermilk spiked with Tabasco. Let it sit about 30 minutes. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Heat the peanut oil in a skillet. Working in batches, coat onion rings in the flour mixture and fry. Drain on paper towels.
Poached Eggs
Heat about two inches of water in a large deep sided skillet. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to just a simmer. Stir in vinegar. Crack egg into a small heatproof bowl or ramekin. Lower into the boiling water and let it sit for 3-5 minutes until the white cook and the yolk is enveloped. If your water is not deep enough, you may have to gently spoon simmering water over the egg yolk to help it along. Work in batches. Retrieve egg with a slotted spoon and rest on a plate for a minute or so.
Assembly
Place a bed of rice in a deep dish. Place a short rib on top, along with mushrooms and some sauce. Top with poached egg and crispy onions. Serve immediately.