When it's cold and miserable outside I like to reminisce about my recent visit to the Montage Kapalua Bay in Maui. I want to transport myself back to this Hawaiian paradise to feel the sun and taste the ocean-fresh seafood. This poke recipe might just do that.

This hotel offers plenty of activities, including an ohana (family) cooking class. My family and I opted for an afternoon of making poke with Chef Christopher Damskey in a residence. He presented us with fresh fish, right out of the sea, and showed us how to skin and bone them. He also had a group of different flavorings for each of us to use to make our own signature poke. We each made two styles of poke and then sat down at a table overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The term poke in its simplest terms means "small cubes of marinated fish." The sauce can be as simple, made with garlic, soy sauce and a touch of seaweed, or as complex as you like. Served as an appetizer with cocktails or even a main course, poke has become popular across the nation with poke pop-ups and stands sprouting up in many cities. Frankly, I'd rather make my own so you know just how fresh it is.

In these cold winter months I like to offer this as an appetizer or as a main course along with some hot soup like Asian miso chicken or shrimp soup. Don't worry if you can't find seaweed salad (I have found it at Asian markets). You can substitute some nori or kelp flakes to taste. Hearts of palm are tough to find fresh; you can use the bottled ones that have been rinsed and thinly sliced, but I prefer to omit it since it doesn't have a fresh flavor.

Ahi tuna is available nationally, so you can easily make your own version of poke. Just make sure your fishmonger sells you the freshest tuna possible. Sushi-grade tuna refers to it being frozen to kill any bacteria or parasites and then defrosted.

Poke tips

--If you can't find seaweed salad, look for dried seaweed called kelp or kumbu or nori. I like the flakes but you can also use the powder. This adds a sea flavor to the fish.

--Some poke tasty additions include cucumber and salmon eggs.

--Serve the poke in small bowls or in a large bowl with crisp wonton skins, lavash or Terra chips.

Montage Kapalua Bay Poke

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 pounds sashimi grade ahi tuna, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions including green part

1/2 cup diced Maui onions

1/4 cup seaweed salad (optional)

1/4 cup fresh sliced hearts of palm, (optional)

1 avocado, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Combine soy sauce, chili flakes, ginger and sesame oil, and whisk to mix thoroughly. Set aside for 1 hour to let flavors mingle together.

2. In another bowl combine the ahi, scallions, Maui onions, seaweed salad, hearts of palm and diced avocado. Pour over the soy sauce mixture, and carefully mix the ingredients together. Season to taste.

3. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Chill or serve immediately.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)