Grilling Pizza

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We have a favorite pizza place back east, Sally’s in New Haven, CT.  This is the closest I’ve come to creating that wonderful pizza….grilling.  Sally’s uses a “coal” fired oven so cooking the pizza on the grill is a very close resemblance.  It’s pretty easy to do, and no better time than summer.  Whip up some dough, fire up the grill, pop a cold one and enjoy!Grilling Pizza

BBQ Grilled Pizza

BBQ Grilled Pizza

Grilled BBQ Pizza

Dough:

1 package Fleishman’s active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 3/4 cups warm water (110 – 125 degrees)
1 tablespoon Mazola Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 cups King Arthurs Bread Flour
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Add yeast and sugar to stand mixer. Add warm water and wait 2-3 minutes until yeast blossoms. Add remaining ingredients. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 minutes. (Can also be made in a large mixing bowl, then knead by hand, or use a food processor and process until all ingredients are combined). Place dough in a large bowl (oil bowl first), and cover with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Remove dough at least an hour before rolling out pizza. Recipe makes enough for 4 pizza’s. This dough also freezes well for up to 2-3 months.

Sauce:

1 quart crushed tomatoes (Pomi Brand is best, $$$ at Fresh Market)
1/4 cup red wine….drinking wine
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
red pepper flakes to taste
black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
1/2 cup Weber’s “Kick’n Spicy” BBQ Sauce

Combine all ingredients, simmer 30 to 60 minutes until slightly thick. Makes enough for 3-4 pizzas.

Pizza:

Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded roasted chicken (store bought roasters work great) tossed with 1 teaspoon liquid smoke and 1/4 cup Weber’s “Kick’n Spicy” BBQ Sauce, or 1 cup shredded pulled pork (recipe below to make your own)
shredded cheese – mozzarella, pepper jack, sharp cheddar (use your imagination)
2-3 grilled jalapeños, sliced, optional

Roll dough thinly and place on a flour dusted pizza peel. Using a silicon pastry brush, brush the entire surface of the pizza. Place pizza oiled side down on hot grill (make sure you either oil or pan spray your grates). Close grill cover and cook for about five to 10 minutes, checking periodically to make sure dough is not burning (reduce your heat if needed). Oil top side of dough, when bottom is slightly browned, flip dough over.

Cover dough with sauce, cheeses, shredded chicken or pork, and top with jalapeños (I grill these while preheating the grill). Cover grill and let cook 5-10 minutes until slightly golden and cheese are melted.

To make your own Slow Cooked Boston Pork Butt:

1 4-5 pound bone-in pork Boston butt
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons “Weber N’Orleans Cajun Seasoning”
Preheat oven to 275°F.

Remove excess fat from pork. Using a large carving fork, poke holes over entire surface of pork. Sprinkle meat with salt and seasoning. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place on baking sheet. (This may be done the night before and held in the refrigerator over night).
Place baking sheet in preheated oven and cook for 6-7 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 225°F and the meat pulls away easily from the bone. Let meat rest 10-15 minutes before shredding. This also freezes very well after cooked. You might also purchase a larger Boston butt if on sale and have the butcher cut it for you, freeze what you don’t use for a later time.

 

Butter Poached Lobster

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This week is a special one….hubby Bob has a birthday.  Being born in Connecticut and living on the ocean almost all his life has made Bob a lover of seafood.  Especially shellfish!  We use to live on the coast of Long Island Sound and Bob’s favorite hobby was tending to his “40” lobster pots.

Lobsters

Lobsters

I can remember the times when Rob and Jenny would ask me what’s for dinner, when I replied lobsters they would say “lobsters again”….those were the days!

I thought I was the queen of lobster cooking, always trying new methods and recipes.  It wasn’t until we watched an episode of Master Chef that I discovered “poaching lobster”.  WOW…..what a great way of cooking lobster…why didn’t I think of that?????

On Father’s Day  I tried poaching lobster in a  beurre monte sauce.   Probably the best lobster I have ever eaten.  Guess what I am making for Bob’s birthday?????  Here’s how you do it.

Purchase lobsters from local grocery store.  Place them in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Lobsters

Lobsters

In a LARGE stock pot bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil.  Once the water is rapidly boiling, put lobsters to sleep ( you will feel better before you kill the little guys).  Just massage their head over his eyes for a few seconds, like this…

“go to sleep lobster”

Place lobsters (head first) into the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes.  In a large bowl add water and ice cubes (ice-water bath) and place the lobsters into the pan.

DSC_0047Using a good pair of kitchen scissors cut the lobster shell and remove the meat, trying to keep the lobster in tact as much as possible.

In a medium size pan bring 1 tablespoon of water to boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, one tablespoon at a time.  This method will help it emulsify, which means mixing two liquids together that normally don’t mix well (water and oil).

Butter Poached Lobster

Butter Poached Lobster

Add the lobster and cook over medium low heat (do not let butter boil) for 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the lobster meat reaches 140-145°F using a Thermapen thermometer.

Serve with your favorite side dish and enjoy!

Happy Birthday Bob!

Happy Birthday Bob!

Ingredients:

2 one and a half pound live lobsters (or one lobster per person)
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), cut into 1 tablespoon chunks

Directions:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to boil. Turn off heat and add the lobster. Cover with lid and let cook for 3 minutes. Place lobster into a large pan of ice water (this cools down the lobster to the touch and stops the cooking process).  Remove all lobster meat from shell trying to keep lobster in tact.

2. In a sauce pan, bring 1 tablespoon of water to simmer over medium-low heat. Whisk in 1 piece of butter. When butter had melted, add another piece. Continue with remaining butter pieces, one at a time. Make sure the mixture does NOT come to a boil, otherwise the butter will separate.

3. Keeping the heat on medium-low, add the lobster pieces and cook for 5 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 140-145° is reached.  Serve immediately!