the arugula files

Zucchini Flatbread

Pleasant.  That's the only way to describe the weather these days.  Fall is my favorite time of year. Apples are one big reason.  The Queen of them all, Honeycrisps, made an appearance at the market, so last week I said goodbye to nectarines to make a place for them in my bag.  Despite the cool weather, I'm still enjoying zucchini, which is the easiest vegetable to break up with for the season. Zucchini doesn't all of sudden just stop showing up at the market, like peaches or corn; it slowly tapers off, letting us down easy. 

Zucchini and I spent a lot of time together this summer.  I made zucchini bread and fritters.  I also served it with pasta, basil, garlic, and cheese.

I made this flatbread with a few petite versions, sliced thinly with a mandoline.  I tossed the floppy coins in olive oil, fresh thyme, rosemary, and kosher salt and then scattered them across my pizza dough.  I considered lining them up perfectly, but Josie had just clocked in 12 minutes of independent play, which could only mean that her solo session was coming to an end and she would need some attention.  (As a side note, I've decided that if I make a flatbread with vegetables, I will forever use a mandoline to slice the vegetable as thinly as possible, even though it takes more time.  This technique totally changes the flavor).  I used a microplane to sprinkle some salty, cream cheese on top---a small wedge of aged smoked gouda I found in the dark corner of my cheese drawer.  

I served this flatbread with mussels, another easy dish to make for a light weeknight meal.  More on that soon.

Asparagus and Proscuitto Pizza with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

I suppose asparagus season in the Chesapeake region is over.  Sigh.  I made this pizza quite a few times recently and while it's quite simple, I think it's worth sharing. Just in case you run into some asparagus, here are some quick instructions.

Start by pre-heating your oven to 450 degrees. For toppings, you'll need a bunch of asparagus (fat or skinny is fine), about 4 ounces of prosciutto (one package, usually), about 3 ounces of goat cheese, a handful of freshly grated parmesan or asiago, a tablespoon of pine nuts, and some olive oil.  You can roll out your favorite pizza dough recipe or pick some up from Trader Joe's.  The crust at TJ's is delicious and if you prefer whole wheat, they offer it.  Brush the dough with olive oil. 

Then add the toppings. Start with the asparagus (read below first) and then add the rest of the toppings. 

A note about the asparagus:

The key to this pizza is to blanch the asparagus and then shred the stalks into ribbons. I borrowed the idea from everyone's favorite food blogger.  What you end up with is a deep earthy flavors that are balanced by the saltiness of the prosciutto and goat cheese 

Cook in the oven at 450 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. 

Pizza Cipolla (Or how to Turn a Few Onions into An Extraodinary Dinner)

 

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, let me say that this pizza is the best I've ever made.  Evah.  The smell, wafting through my kitchen, made my stomach growl almost as loud as the applause for this speech.  Before you're all: onions and pizza?  Big deal.  Please note that there's also cream involved (and thyme).  And, of course, using a mandoline to thinly slice the onions allows the cream and thyme to permeate the onions completely.  Add a crispy crust, FULL of FLAVOR, and each creamy, sweet bite overfilled me with such delight that I almost lost culinary consciousness. (Ok, maybe that was hyperbolic).   All I’m saying is try it.

Grilled Pizza with Heirloom Tomatoes (Plus, the MidAtlantic Red Fruit Festival)

You know how kids show up at your door step and take way more halloween candy then they need?  That's me at the tomato stand.  I fill my bag with Green Zebras, Purple Cherokees, Brandywine, Mr. Stripey.  I want them all.

I eat them whole, with a dash of salt, balsamic, and olive oil, or I put them in panzenella, salsa, and, now, on grilled pizza.

This pizza is all about simplicity: two cloves of garlic (diced), two heirloom tomatoes (sliced thickly), a handful of fontina and feta. Roll out your favorite pizza dough, brush the top with olive oil, and place on your grill. Flip it a few times.  Then add the garlic, tomatoes, and cheese.  And, for the love of the farmer, don't add tomato sauce.  Just top it with basil and enjoy the taste of your summer garden (or in my case, since my garden was an epic fail, enjoy the taste of a local farm).

Grilling pizza? It's easy.  No, the pizza won't fall through the grates.  Need directions?  You can find them here.

Speaking of tomatoes: make sure to enter your tomato recipe in the Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival, open to food bloggers, home cooks, gardeners and tomato-enthusiasts.

 

Roasted Garlic and Chicken Pizza a la CPK

 

When I was 14 years old I discovered purple eye shadow and the mall.  The  mall had a food court, and that was very important for boy watching and cinnabon.   It also had a California Pizza Kitchen, and that was very important for eating.  Those were old timey days, when I thought Wolfgang Puck was a dead composer and gourmet pizza was a novel invention.   CPK was new, fresh – even fancy. 

Today I wouldn't seek out CPK.  There are far too many delicious gourmet pizza options in the DC area, including 2 Amys, Liberty Tavern, and Coppi's.  Not to mention my very own pizza creations with local ingredients (shameless plug here, here, and here).  Occasionally, though, I food dream about my favorite pizza from the CPK menu: the roasted garlic chicken pizza. 

Here's my try at recreating a childhood favorite.  And since the CPK on Connecticut Ave recently closed, this is my tribute to the restaurant for getting me to eat something beyond pepperoni pizza (not that I don't love you pepperoni, because I do).

Vichyssoise Deconstructed (Potato, Leek, and Gruyere Pizza)

Last night, right before I fell into a deep sleep – around 11:40 pm – I whipped up some habenero cactus jelly.  What?  Let me explain.   When I can't fall asleep, I pretend I'm a cheftestant on Top Chef.  Absurd, I know.  I am not a chef. Not. even. close.  It doesn't matter, my cooking qualifications are irrelevant. I just need to fall asleep, people, and counting sheep doesn't cut it.  So, each night, I enter myself into a quick fire challenge, think about what I would cook, and how I would make it.  Take, for example, the recent Top Chef quick fire on cooking cactus.  I got in my PJs, crawled into bed, then went through a bunch of potential cactus dishes in my head.   I finally decided on habanero cactus jelly. Five minutes later I was a asleep.  Some times, I'll actually make the dishes I dream up; sometimes not. Habanero cactus jelly? Not.

Caramelized Onion, Gruyere, and Rosemary Pizza

I never order takeout pizza.  It just doesn't taste good and it can be expensive.  Instead, I keep a bag of Trader Joe's pizza dough in my freezer.  At 99 cents, the dough is a bargain, and, as long as you don't spend a lot of money on ingredients, you can make a recession-ready pizza in no time.  Take this pizza, for example.  I caramelized a red onion (89 cents), cut a few sprigs of rosemary off my office plant (practically free!), and added a handful of Gruyere cheese (~$1.50).  That's about $3.50, if you count some olive oil and a bit of cornmeal for the pizza paddle.  And, this pizza was enough for two meals. Take that Ben Bernanke.

Peach, Arugula, and Bleu Pizza

Peaches on pizza?  Trust me.  A perfectly ripe peach can go from sweet to savory with the right company.  All you need is pizza dough, some sauteed onion, garlic, thyme, and cheese.  Cheddar would work.  So would parmesan.  I used bleu cheese because that's what I had on hand.