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Rumaki

Rumaki

Originating somewhere in Hawai'i or the Bay Area in the 1960s (it was supposedly an old school Trader Vic's speciality), Rumaki is a classic old-school "pupu" or polynesian-American hors d'oeuvre. How can you go wrong with a simple teriyaki sauce for marinade, tender meat and crunchy water chestnut wrapped in bacon? I had you at bacon, right?
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1" piece fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 clove fresh garlic minced or pressed
  • 4 chicken livers cut into thirds
  • 3 water chestnuts quartered
  • 4 strips of wide/thick cut bacon cut into thirds
  • Toothpicks

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Add chicken livers and water chestnuts and toss to coat; place in refrigerator to let marinate for 1 hour.
  • Heat oven to 425°. Remove liver and chestnuts from marinade with slotted spoon, reserving the marinade. Pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat to thicken; as soon as it boils, remove from heat and set aside.
  • Place 1 piece of bacon on a cutting board, then top with 1 piece of liver and 1 piece of water chestnut. Wrap bacon around liver and chestnut; skewer bacon in place with a toothpick. Repeat process with remaining livers, water chestnuts, and bacon.
  • Transfer rumaki to a foil-lined sheet pan. (If you have a sheet pan with a wire rack, still line the pan with foil, but then also top with the rack). With a small brush or spoon baste a small amount of marinade on top of each piece. Bake 25 minutes. Use tongs to turn each piece basting every 5-7 minutes with the marinade. Your rumaki will be done when bacon is well browned (they don’t have to be crisp though!)

Notes

Don’t like/can’t find chicken liver? Substitute small chunks of chicken breast!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!