Kristen&#039;s Recipes

Bacon-Avocado Griddle Pizza

September 24, 2014 Kristen

1 C. lukewarm water (105-115 degrees)
2 1/4 C. flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast (1/4oz)
1 tsp. sugar
Salt
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 shallot, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 C. EVOO, plus more for brushing
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Pepper
3 avocados
1 12oz package bacon
1 bunch watercress

In a large glass, whisk together the water, 1 T. flour, the yeast and sugar; let stand until foamy, about 6 minutes. Using a food processor, combine the remaining flour and 1 tsp. salt. With the machine on, pour in the yeast mixture and process until the dough forms a ball. Mix for another minute, then transfer to a large greased bowl, turning the dough to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, shallot, olive oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature. In a medium bowl, mash the avocados; press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to cover. Preheat a large skillet; add the bacon and cook, turning once, until crisp, 12-15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Preheat a griddle over high heat or an electric griddle to 400. On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 pieces, then flatten each one into a disk. Stretch each disk into a 10″ round (if dough is too elastic, let rest for 5 minutes). Brush one side of each round with olive oil and, working in batches if necessary, transfer to the griddle, oiled sides down. Cook, lightly brushing the tops with more oil and flipping once, until browned, about 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board. Spread the avocado evenly on each crust, leaving 3/4″ border. Toss the watercress with the tomato mixture and scatter over the pizzas. Crumble the bacon on top.

Glass Noodle Salad with Chicken & Shrimp

September 24, 2014 Kristen

This colorful salad has a light, sweet-tart dressing punctuated by pickled garlic. The salad and dressing can be prepared through step 2 up to 1 day ahead; cover separately and chill.

6 ounces boned, skinned chicken breast

4 ounces dried bean threads (saifun) or dried angel hair pasta

6 ounces shelled cooked tiny shrimp, rinsed

1/2 cup slivered red onion

1/2 cup chopped pickled garlic (purchased or homemade)

1/4 cup slivered red or yellow bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

3 tablespoons liquid from pickled garlic

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar

About 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce or about 1/2 teaspoon salt

5 cups baby arugula leaves or baby salad mix (5 oz.), rinsed and crisped

In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 to 2 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse chicken; chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Add bean threads or angel hair pasta to boiling water and stir to separate; cook until barely tender to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook just until chicken is white in center of thickest part (cut to test) and noodles are tender, about 1 minute. Drain noodles and chicken; rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. In a bowl, combine noodle mixture with shrimp, red onion, pickled garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, and green onion. In a small bowl, mix liquid from pickled garlic, lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce to taste. Just before serving, combine dressing with noodle mixture. Divide arugula equally among dinner plates, or arrange all on a large platter. Mound glass noodle salad on or next to greens. Drizzle any remaining dressing left in bowl over arugula.

Yield: 8 Servings

Calories: 157

Fat: .9g

Fiber: 1g

California Thai Garden Supper Menu:Â

Thai Green Curry Fish

September 23, 2014 Kristen

1 star anise or 3/4 teaspoon anise seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 cup canned coconut milk

Green curry paste

1 3/4 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves or regular sweet basil leaves, rinsed

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

6 fresh or thawed frozen kaffir lime leaf sections (each 1 1/2 to 2 in. long) 2 teaspoons grated lime peel (green part only)

3 pounds boned, skinned halibut or catfish fillets

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds green beans, rinsed and stem ends trimmed

1 red bell pepper (about 6 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and slivered

2 teaspoons cornstarch

6 to 8 cups hot cooked brown or jasmine rice

1/4 cup finely slivered fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper

Break star anise into small pieces. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir star anise or anise seeds, cumin, and coriander until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour spices into a blender and whirl until finely ground, or pour into a mortar and grind with a pestle. Add coconut milk to frying pan; stir often over medium-high heat until milk is bubbly and fat begins to separate, 2 to 6 minutes (reduce heat if milk splatters out of pan). Add all the curry paste and stir until aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups broth, ground spices, whole basil leaves, fish sauce, and sugar. Rinse kaffir lime leaves, tear each in half, and stir into sauce; set aside. Rinse fish and pat dry; cut into eight equal pieces and arrange in a 12- by 16-inch baking pan. Drizzle oil over fish and turn pieces to coat; set slightly apart. Bake in a 400Â° regular or convection oven until fish is barely opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 10 to 15 minutes for halibut, 8 to 10 minutes for catfish. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 1/2 to 3 quarts water to a boil. Add beans and cook until almost tender to bite, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper, then drain immediately. Just before fish is done, stir green curry sauce over high heat until hot again. In a small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup broth with 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add to hot curry sauce and stir until it boils and thickens, about 1 minute. If desired, remove kaffir lime leaves. Mound hot rice on eight dinner plates. Lay fish on top and scatter beans and pepper strips around fish. Spoon curry sauce over and around fish. Sprinkle slivered basil over the top. Or serve fish, sauce, and vegetables on a large platter, with rice in a bowl alongside. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 8 servings

Calories: 542

Fat: 18g

Fiber: 5.3g

California Thai Garden Supper Menu:Â

Israeli Couscous with Butternut Squash and Preserved Lemons

September 23, 2014 Kristen

1 1/2-pounds (700 g) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
3 T. olive oil
Salt
1 large onion, peeled and minced
1 3/4 C. (280 g) Israeli couscous, or Italian pepe-style pasta
1 small cinnamon stick
1 preserved lemon
1/2 C. (60 g) golden raisins
1/4 C. (30 g) dried cherries or cranberries, coarsely chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 C. (60 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
2/3 C. pine nuts, toasted (see Note)

Preheat the oven to 475F (245C). Cut the squash into 1/4-inch (1 cm) cubes and toss them with 1 T. of olive oil and a seasoning of salt in a large baking dish or pan. Cook on the upper rack of the oven until the squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. (Donâ€™t overcook.) While the squash is cooking, heat the remaining 2 T. of olive oil in a skillet and cook the onions over medium-high heat with a bit of salt until translucent. As the squash and onions are finished, scrape them into a large bowl. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the Israeli couscous with the cinnamon stick until tender, about 10 minutes. While the couscous cooks, cut the preserved lemon in quarters and scoop of the insides, which you should reserve. Dice the lemon into 1/4-inch (1 cm) cubes, add them to the squash, then press the reserved flesh through a strainer to extract the liquid, and add the liquid to the squash. Drain, but donâ€™t rinse the couscous. Discard the cinnamon stick. Add the couscous to the bowl of squash, then add the raisins, cherries or cranberries (if using), ground cinnamon, parsley, and toasted pine nuts. Serving: Serve warm, although it can also be served at room temperature.

Do-Ahead Tip: You can make this ahead, up to one day in advance, and rewarm it before serving. If so, leave the parsley and toasted pine nuts out, and mix them in right before serving.

Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Mango

September 22, 2014 Kristen

1/3 cup small pearl tapioca

2 1/2 cups coconut milk (light or full-fat; a 13.5-ounce can will contain 1 3/4 cups)

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon table salt or a heaped 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from a 1-inch segment of vanilla bean

1 very ripe mango, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

A squeeze or two of fresh lime juice

Optional garnishes

Whipped coconut cream

1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

Few gratings of lime zest

In a medium saucepan, soak tapioca in coconut milk for 30 minutes. Whisk in egg yolk, sugar, salt and vanilla bean seeds, if using (if using extract, youâ€™ll add it in a bit). Place saucepan over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer, then reduce it to very low heat so itâ€™s barely bubbling, and cook it until it thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, if using. [Pudding will be the consistency of thick gravy â€” i.e. worrisomely thin â€” going into the cups but after chilling in the fridge, it will set.] Pour into pudding cups to chill for several hours or overnight.

Make mango puree: Place mango chunks in food processor with sugar (if using) and lime juice and blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides several times, if needed. Refrigerate puree until needed.

Serve with mango puree on top, plus whipped coconut cream, toasted coconut flakes or a few gratings of lime zest.

To make whipped coconut cream: This a bit of advance planning. Place 1 can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight; in most brands, this will cause the coconut fats and thin milk/watery part to separate. Place a small/medium mixing bowl in the freezer, ideally metal. The next day, turn it upside-down before opening it, so that the thickened coconut fat will be at the bottom. Pour off the thin coconut milk; you should have about 1 cup and this can be used towards the 2 1/2 cups needed for your pudding. About 2/3 cup thickened coconut fat will remain at the bottom of the can; scrape this into your chilled bowl, add about 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for a light sweetness; use more to taste) and beat it with an electric mixer until thick and whipped cream-like. Dollop it over desserts such as this, though youâ€™ll have more than you need for 6 puddings.

To toast coconut chips: Heat an oven to 350 degrees F. Spread coconut flakes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes, tossing once if needed to help them brown evenly. Let cool before using.

California Thai Garden Supper Menu:Â