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While the Santa Monica Pier sits deserted, the carousel is eerily quiet and the only sound you hear is the waves crashing against the pilings, The Albright owner Yunnie Kim Morena is keeping busy and making the best of the home pantry on her Kim Chi Avocado website. In addition to recipes, she also offers an eye-popping selection of wooden grazing boards that feature everything from candy to crudité, cheese, meats and fruits for delivery.

Along with her husband Greg, Morena owns and operates The Albright on the pier under their EST. 1977 Group, a boutique restaurant group specializing in the revitalization of legacy businesses and curated food concepts. Under Morena’s direction, the EST. 1977 Restaurant Group has  expanded to include Cast Iron Catering, Pappy’s and Rusty’s.

In 2013,  the native Angelena took over the reins of Santa Monica Pier Seafood from her mother, leaving her career in the fashion industry and reopening the iconic spot on the pier as The Albright.

A big believer in the beauty of the pantry,  watch as Morena prepares her recipe for Moqueca Stew with ingredients that you may likely already have at home.  Love her tip on how to have an unending scallion supply….

Moqueca Stew

Courtesy of Yunnie Kim, KIM.CHI.AVOCADO by Yunnie Kim

Ingredients: 

  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped (green stems only)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (reserve a tablespoon for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • 2 Tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 16 oz can crab meat
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • In a heated skillet, add oil and sauté shallots and garlic until translucent
  • Add the bell peppers, tomatoes and green onions and sauté until softened (around 3-4 minutes) and season with 2 heavy pinches of salt and black pepper
  • Add lime zest and juice
  • Add canned coconut milk and stir well. Bring the sauce to a low simmer and add crab meat and cilantro. The crab is already cooked so just carefully fold in meat and cilantro, so the sauce becomes well incorporated with the crab (about 4-5 minutes)
  • Serve over basmati or jasmine rice and garnish with cilantro

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