Grilled Pizza

Grilled Pizza Margherita

 With it being summer and all, the grill beckons me to lay something beyond hamburgers and hot dogs upon its fiery grates.  I had been wanting to try grilling pizza for some time now and I'm glad I finally took the opportunity.  I was nervous about how it was all going to work out.  I mean, it seemed like it could be a real recipe for disaster (I had visions of sauce and cheese falling to a flaming doom). 

Thankfully, it was much easier than I was anticipating.  Here are the keys: keep your pizzas small.  This is a great time time let everyone dress individual pizzas (6-8" around max will keep things much easier to handle).  Also, precook your pizza crust on the grill for just a minute on both sides.  This will give you a sturdier base on which to put your toppings and you will feel much more confidant in the transfer process.  Overall, it made me feel very accomplished to serve grilled pizzas (it also made me dream of a custom built, wood-burning pizza oven in the backyard but we are a long ways from that!). 

I served very traditionally Italian style pizzas--the wonderfully simple, Margherita style (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil) and another of my favorites from when we visited Italy, Quattro Staggioni (which literally translates into "Four Seasons" and is divided into four quadrants of toppings: ham, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and black olives).  I think each topping is supposed to represent a season, but beats me which one is for which!  Regardless, it employs several of my favorite ingredients and I thought it was high time to recreate the Quattro Staggioni at home.

Pizza Margherita
1 recipe pizza dough (see below)
1-2 cups favorite jarred pizza/pasta sauce (more traditional would be just tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and some spices--Italian seasoning--but I was lazy)
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds
large handful fresh basil leaves


Quattro Staggioni toppings: (on top of sauce and cheese placed individually in each of four quadrants of the pizza)
thinly sliced ham, cut into bite sized strips
quartered artichoke hearts
thinly sliced black olives
thinly sliced mushrooms

Quattro Staggioni in the front

 Directions:
Preheat grill to medium high.  Divide pizza dough into fourths and roll out to desired width and thickness (6-8" is easiest to work with).  Grease the grates of the grill well with olive oil (an easy way to do this is use tongs holding a wad of paper towels dipped in oil rubbed against the grates.  Be careful of flare ups).  Very carefully and working in batches as needed, lay the pizza dough on top of the grill grates.  Allow to cook for just a minute or so.  As soon as bubbles begin to form on the top of the dough, use tongs to flip over to the other side.  Allow to cook for another additional minute or just until the dough is cooked enough to handle.  Remove from the grill, set aside and repeat with remaining pizza crusts. 

Once pizza crusts have been pre-baked, top with sauce or tomatoes, cheese and desired toppings.  Lower grill heat to medium low.  Using a large spatula, a pizza peel or your hands, carefully return topped pizzas to the grill.  Cover and cook for just a few minutes, until cheese is melted, checking to make sure that the bottom crust is not getting too dark (you can always turn down the grill .  Use a spatula or pizza peel to remove pizzas.  Let sit for a few minutes, slice and serve. 

Note: You can also use these ingredients to make a baked pizza.  See my Homemade Pizza Party post on some helpful instructions for indoor pizza!

Homemade Pizza Dough
Makes about four individual pizzas (can also make one 12-16” pizza, depending on thickness)
2-2 1/2 cups flour (can use up to half whole wheat and up to 1/2 cup corn meal)
1 envelope quick rise yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
6-8 oz. warm water (around 110 degrees)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Optional: 1 tsp. herbs or garlic

    In a glass measuring cup, add yeast and sugar to warm water.  Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes to proof (it will grow in volume and be bubbly).  Meanwhile, in a food processor or stand mixer, blend together flour, salt and olive oil (and herbs, if using).  While processor is running, pour in water-yeast mixture and continue to process until a solid ball of dough is formed (you may have to add a little more flour or water).  Allow to run 30 seconds more.  Turn off machine and pull out dough.  Place in a greased bowl and cover with a dish towel or greased plastic wrap.  Allow to sit at least 30 minutes.  Punch down dough and turn in on itself a few times.

The little thief was at it again, but I was able to stop him this time!

Inspiration derived from: Annie's Eats' blog entry on Grilled Pizza

Also, check out my friend, Amy's post on Grilled Pizza she just did the other day as well!  It looks super yummy!  I'll have to try that combination of toppings soon!

Steak Fajitas

I am currently sitting in rainy Minnesota, starting a week+ worth of "Brother-Sitting."  Dropped my parents off at the airport an hour ago ("Bring me back something French!") and since then, have 1) tried on my mom's shoes, 2) found lots of potential treats/pitfalls (I've eaten a spoonful of Ben and Jerry's, a piece of leftover Easter chocolate and some almonds from a fancy tin), 3) perused the magazine collection and 4) had my fill of sattellite tv (we got rid of ours last Fall and I thought I would be glad to catch up on the Food Network and others, but the magic seems to be lost--probably just as well).  I thought that before I go do something useful (like read a book?), I'd post a dinner-worthy recipe.  Even though it's gray and drizzly here today, we have definitely entered the grilling season.  Let's celebrate with a classic, Steak Fajitas (of course, you can also substitute chicken breast or all veggies if you prefer, I just happened to get a screaming deal on skirt steak last week).  Also, these might be the perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo next week...

 Steak Fajitas
Marinated Skirt Steak
1 pound skirt steak
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 scallions (green onions), white and green parts, washed and cut into big chunks
2 cloves garlic, peeled
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Fajita Veggies
1 large onion, thinly sliced length-wise
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
1/2-1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil, divided
lime wedges (optional)

Extras
tortillas (click on link for homemade, if you like!)
Fajita fixings: sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole, etc...

To prepare the steak, remove skirt steak, rinse and place in a gallon sized freezer bag.  In a blender pitcher, combine oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, red pepper flakes, cumin and brown sugar.  Blend until smooth and thoroughly combined.  Pour into bag over steak, seal up and marinate for about one hour in the fridge.  Remove steak from bag, pat with paper towels and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare the grill (I just used our gas grill, but you can use charcoal or an indoor grill pan as well). 

Grill steak for 1-2 minutes on each side (you just want to sear the outside, flank steak is thin!).  Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for about 10 minutes while you're cooking the vegetables.

Preheat a large skillet over high heat.  Add half the oil and saute vegetables in two batches, paying attention not to crowd the pan (so you don't steam them).  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and crisp tender.  Remove from heat and keep warm.

After steak has rested, cut across the grain into very thin slices.  Serve in warmed tortillas with the pepper and onion mixture and topping with your desired fixings.

Skirt Steak inspired by Alton Brown's recipe 

Barbecued Corned Beef and Other Things

Big ol' slab of meat and some veggies grilling

The other night, we had a couple over for dinner that I hadn't met before. Jay had met them through another set of friends and thought we should get together. Whenever we have someone new come for a meal, I always try to find out if there's anything specific they're allergic to or absolutely cannot eat. It helps relieve anxiety in my meal-planning process.

Anyway, except for a honeydew sensitivity, they were willing to try anything and so I took to my fridge to see what melon-free meal I could serve. I had found a corned beef brisket for super cheap and it wasn't going to fit in my freezer, so I decided to barbecue it for our new friends. Along side, I used what we had in the fridge (I seemed to have an abundance of single, random vegetables) and served some balsamic grilled vegetables (one of my summer favorites) and a thrown-together salad that took on a bit of a Greek identity (and baked potatoes, but I don't think anyone needs a recipe for a baked potato). Eclectic? Yes. Delicious? We thought so.

Just don't ask me about dessert. They always tell you not to try out new recipes on company (I never listen). This time it bit me in the bottom and I resorted to pulling out some cupcakes from the freezer that were courtesy of Jay's Grandma (Grandma makes a mean cupcake). Here are the recipes I can take credit for:

*The pictures were not what I was hoping for, but I felt a little weird taking too many pictures of my food right before I was serving it to people I had just met. Plain weird.


Grilled Corned Beef Brisket
1 corned beef brisket (mine was a flat cut and almost 5 pounds)
non stick cooking spray
your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions:
Empty package of corned beef along with juices and seasoning packet into a large pot and cover it with water. Remember to actually fish out the seasoning packet and open it up (mine was stuck under the meat and I didn't see it for awhile...have I just lost some credibility with a lot of you?). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours or until beef is fork-tender. If you were celebrating St. Patrick's Day in the traditional way (not green beer traditional but Corned Beef and Cabbage traditional), it would be ready to serve along with the potatoes and veggies you had thrown in at some point. But we're not doing that, we're grilling this baby. Remove brisket from water, give it a coat of cooking spray and toss it on a grill (or grill pan...heck, probably the broiler would even work here!) for a few minutes on either side. We're really just looking to sear the outside so it gets crispy. Brush with barbecue sauce and allow to glaze on there a couple minutes more. Remove from heat. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, then cut into thin slices against the grain.

Notes: Four adults and two kids barely ate half of the brisket and so there was a ton leftover. For which, I will post again on soon...

Grilled Balsamic Vegetables
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks
1 zucchini, cut in half length-wise and thinly sliced (like half-moons)
1 yellow squash, cut in half length-wise and thinly sliced (half-moons again)
1/2 red onion, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup mushrooms, halved or quartered, depending on the size
Canadian steak seasoning or salt and pepper to taste
non-stick cooking spray
1/4 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Spray a grill pan (or a disposable cake pan with holes poked in it) with non-stick cooking spray. Toss vegetables together and spread in a single layer. Sprinkle with seasonings. If you have more vegetables than will fit in a single layer, just cook in batches. Grill over high heat until vegetables start to blacken on the bottom . Flip with a spatula and continue to grill for a few minutes more. Vegetables should be crisp-tender (total time will be about 10 minutes or so). Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and pour balsamic vinaigrette over top of veggies tossing to combine. Serve warm (but cold leftovers from the fridge are pretty tasty, too).

Greek Style Salad:
Toss together any combination of:

1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 roma tomatoes, halved and cut into slices (half moons)
1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 English cucumber sliced into half moons
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup olives
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
a few fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces
Bottled Greek Vinaigrette dressing (sometimes I'll make my own and sometime I'll post that...tonight it was Girards brand)

If I had remembered they were in the fridge, I would've put some sliced pepperoncini in there as well.

And, the next day for lunch, I put the leftover cold balsamic veggies over top of the remaining salad and it made me very happy indeed!