Loco Moco, a substantial feel-good dish originating from Hilo, Hawaii, has become one of the most common quick dishes served on the islands. The legend is that around 1949, some very hungry teenage boys, showed up in a restaurant in Hilo, and asked the chef to make them a meal that would fill their rumbly tumblies for days. He came up with a creative concoction consisting of a meatloaf-like burger over rice, and topped by  a fried egg and a brown gravy.  The name, Loco, means “crazy,” and the chef called it this in reference to one of the boys. The Moco part was added because it rhymes. (Oahu Near Say, 2017)

These days, Loco Moco is commonly found at both fast food restaurants and at higher-end establishments in Hawaii. There are many variations, with the egg and rice remaining consistent, but the meat replaced by fish, meatballs, or pork. There are also crab cake and veggie burger renditions. Even Disney serves several variations, including one topped with a tomato salsa at the Polynesian’s Kona restaurant.  My daughter regularly prepares this traditional interpretation, which is very similar to Disney’s Aulani.

So while everyone else on the campground is cooking regular burgers, you can be the envy of the loop with the beginnings of your own Wilderness Luau.

It is truly onolicious and very fun to make.  E’ai kaua (Let’s eat)!

Ingredients

For patties:
One large onion (half for patties, half for gravy)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Olive oil for sautéing
4 eggs for topping
Rice, cooked
Brown gravy, recipe below

For gravy:
6 mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 teaspon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Directions

For gravy: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan on medium high heat and sauté the onion until translucent. While sautéing the onion, cut mushrooms into thinly slices. Remove onions from pan and set aside.  Add ½ tablespoon olive oil to pan on medium heat and sauté mushrooms until soft. Add  half of sautéed onions to mushroom and stir.

Add beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. In a small bowl, combine 1 corn starch and water,and whisk well to mix together. Pour the corn starch mixture into the gravy and mix together. Simmer till the gravy is a bit thicker. Turn off the heat and set aside.

For patties: In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, remaining half of sautéed onion,  breadcrumbs, egg, milk, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix and divide into 4 large or 6 medium patties. Toss each portion of mixture from one hand to the other hand repeatedly about 5 times in order to release air inside the mixture to prevent cracking. Shape patties into ovals with slightly rounded top. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Following 30 minutes, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large pan.

Cook patties in heated pan and gently indent the center of the patty with your fingers to prevent rising. Cook the patties about 5 minutes. Do not flip until the bottom of the patties are nicely browned. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to thoroughly cook the inside of the patties (adjust cooking time depending on patty’s thickness).  (Alternatively, you may grill the patties). Fry eggs while you wait.

To serve: Fry an egg per patty and prepare steamed rice. Serve patty on top of rice and top with gravy and fried egg.