In my travel post on Lumeria Maui, I mentioned that one of the benefits of its location was the proximity to both the ocean and the Upcountry farms. It's perhaps not surprising then, that the focus at their Harvest Cafe is on locally grown, organic and free-range foods. The cafe's Chef Indica Chaves said that she "seeks to share the joy of supporting local organic farmers and enjoying a farm-to-table experience." To that end, Chef Chaves was kind enough to share the recipe (below) for a dish that reflects both those local farms and the bounty of the nearby ocean: coconut fish stew. Enjoy!

Coconut Fish Stew

Serves 10 people as a first course

2# mahi cubed
1 ea yellow onion
5 ea cloves garlic
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 ea lemongrass
2 ea kefir lime leaves
2 in piece ginger
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 bunch cilantro
3 each Yukon or Molokai sweet potato
4 each celery ribs
2 each carrot
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1#10 can coconut milk
Salt
Diced tomato - garnish
Lime pieces for garnish

Cut mahi-mahi into one inch cubes, set aside. Dice onion, mince garlic and ginger. Chop cilantro, reserve leaves for garnish. Slice lemon grass. Grind coriander and cumin. Slice celery on a bias. Peel and small-dice carrots. Peel potatoes, medium dice.

Bring pot of salted water to a boil, cook potatoes, drain, cool, reserve.

In soup pot, add coconut oil, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, kefir lime leaves, cilantro stems, coriander, cumin and celery and cook until translucent and fragrant. Add coconut milk, simmer 1/2 hour. Blend broth and strain through fine mesh sieve. Return broth to pot, add carrots, and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper fish. Put fish cubes in pot, add potatoes. Turn off pot. Fish stew is ready to serve in five minutes.

Garnish with cilantro leaves, diced tomato and a squeeze of lime.