Recipe: Pizza with Scallops and Thai Peanut Sauce

PIZZA WITH SCALLOPS AND THAI PEANUT SAUCE
Makes 2 individual pizzas

This recipe can easily be multiplied by 2, 3 or 4. Leftovers are good cold for breakfast. This recipe requires Pizza Dough (recipe follows) be made first.

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek (cleaned & sliced into thin rounds)
2 Tbsp. Thai peanut sauce (recipe follows)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
6 sea scallops
2 Tbsp. unsalted dry roasted peanuts (chopped fine)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
1/2 of the pizza dough made using following recipe

Pizza is best baked on a pizza stone but a cookie sheet will work as well. Place the baking stone or cookie sheet in an oven that has been preheated to 500 degree F. Allow the baking surface to heat for at least 15-20 minutes.

Place 1 tsp. olive oil in a non-stick skillet pan over medium high heat. Add the leek and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the leeks begin to soften and brown stirring frequently.

Add the peanut sauce and toss to coat thoroughly. Set aside.

While the leeks are cooking, heat the remaining 1 tsp. olive oil a small non-stick skillet over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the scallops to the pan. Sear on one side about 3 minutes and turn. Cook on the other side for about another three minutes. Remove to a paper towel to drain.

When they are cool slice them in half so there are two discs for each scallop (a total of 6 discs per pizza)

Using 1/4 of the pizza dough recipe (for each pizza), gently stretch into 8-inch rounds. Don't work too hard to get a perfectly round shape.

Arrange all the toppings so that they will be easy to place on top of the dough.

Once the dough is formed, place it on top of the hot pizza stone and top with each with one half of the leek mixture.

Sprinkle with 1-tablespoon peanuts per pizza and top with 6 scallop discs (seared side up) and then 1/4 cup cilantro leaves per pizza.

Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes until the dough begins to brown. Top with 1/4 cup bean sprouts and cook for another 2 minutes.

PIZZA DOUGH
Servings: enough dough for 4 individual pizzas

This recipe is easily multiplied by 2 or cut in half. This dough will keep for about 36 hours in the refrigerator if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It will not be as good as fresh.

1 cup warm water
1 tsp. dry active yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (does not need to be sifted)
1/2 tsp. salt

Heat the water in the microwave until warm to touch - about 110 to 115 degrees F. (I prefer to use a thermometer for this because if the water is too hot you will kill the yeast.)

Place the yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and pour the heated water over the mixture, stirring until well blended. Let the mixture stand for about 5 - 7 minutes until foamy.

Add the flour and salt and stir with a fork until a coarse dough forms.

Continue to mix by hand until a dough ball forms and all the flour is well blended.

Cover the bowl and place it in a sink with about 4 inches of hot water in the bottom. The heat from the warm water will help the dough rise. The dough will double in size in about 30-40 minutes. Punch it a few times with your fingers and let it rise another 30 minutes.

Remove from the bowl and cut the ball into four equal pieces. Cover the dough that you are not going to use immediately in plastic wrap and chill.

THAI PEANUT SAUCE
Servings: 8

This recipe can easily be multiplied by 2, 3 or 4.
This sauce will keep for about 3 weeks sealed tightly in the refrigerator.

1/4 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
6 Tbsp. chicken stock
1/4 cup reduced-fat (lite) unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Combine the reduced-fat peanut butter, chicken stock, reduced-fat coconut milk, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar and Tabasco in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and set aside. (This can be made up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerated).