Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Egg and Arugula Pizza

Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Egg and Arugula Pizza
As shared from the kitchen of Mari @ Once Upon a Plate (www.onceuponaplate1.com)
Adjust ingredient amounts according to size and number of your pizzas, and how much topping you like on each (it's best to apply cheese and prosciutto sparingly.)
First, make the Garlic Butter (makes enough for two 10"-12" pizzas):

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup softened butter  (2 tablespoons per pizza)

pinch of sea salt

Mix above ingredients together and set aside

Olive oil pizza dough (click here for recipe)

OR ~  use your favorite recipe

Toppings:

Garlic Butter

Salt and pepper

Sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

prosciutto, thinly sliced

generous handful of fresh arugula (rocket lettuce)

1 raw egg for each pizza

To make the pizzas:  

Gather and prepare topping ingredients.

Preheat pizza stone on oven rack in the bottom third of oven to 550°F, or heat pizza stone on outdoor covered grill. 

-Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal to prevent dough from sticking. (May use flour instead of cornmeal.)  

-Form pizza dough into a 10 to 12-inch round

-Sprinkle salt and pepper over the dough

-Spread dough with about 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter, almost to the edges

  Note: It's best to add cheese and meat (or other toppings) sparingly so pizza will cook    quickly and evenly

-Arrange a few slices of mozzarella over the garlic butter

-Top with a couple of slices of torn prosciutto

Slide pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, open the oven/grill and crack an egg over the middle of the pizza, close door/lid and continue baking for a minute or two until the pizza crust is golden, the cheese is melted and bubbling and the egg is just set. Remove pizza from oven/grill, allow to cool for a few moments, then scatter arugula over, slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Grilled Mexican-Style Grilled Corn on the Cob (Elote)

6 ears of corn Butter, softened or melted 1 cup good mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellmann's®) Salt, preferably Kosher or Sea Salt 1/2 cup Cotija or Queso Fresco cheese (Feta works, too.) Garnishes/Condiments as listed below

Shuck and clean silk from corn, grill on a medium hot charcoal or gas grill, turning occasionally until corn is hot and has developed char marks here and there.
Remove corn from grill and roll or brush with softened (or melted) butter. Sprinkle cobs with salt. Spread an even layer of good mayonnaise like Best Foods/Hellmann's (not salad dressing) on the cob ~ sprinkle with crumbled or grated fresh cheese such as Cotija or Queso Fresco, (if you cannot find either of those, I have also used crumbled Feta cheese in a pinch; strange but true, it works.)
I usually place these optional condiments on the table so each one can add what they like, if desired:
lime wedges  ground Cayenne pepper or ground Chipotle Chile Pepper a couple of tablespoons chopped cilantro Cholula® brand hot sauce
Best served piping hot (although we've been known to devour them while just barely warm and at room temperature as well.) 
Make plenty ~ everybody seems to love corn prepared this way!

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Duck (or Chicken) Burgers ~ with Asian Flavors

Duck (or Chicken) Burgers ~ with Asian Flavors
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate by Mari
Recipe yields 8 burgers

Delicious, juicy burgers, something a little out of the ordinary!
Tip: If you cannot find store bought Garlic Chili Sauce, substitute 1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes and 1 garlic clove, pressed.
Burger ingredients:
1 1/2 pound Duck Breasts, or Chicken Breasts (about 3 large breasts)
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tablespoons shallots, minced
1 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Slaw ingredients:
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons Asian Fish sauce (or 1 Tablespoon soy sauce)
1 3/4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 (or up to 1 teaspoon) chili garlic sauce (depending upon how spicy you like it)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1Tablespoon chopped cilantro
4 cups finely shredded red and green cabbage
8 Brioche Buns, or store bought
Mayonnaise, homemade or store bought
To make Burgers:
Cut the duck (or chicken) and pork into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Chill them until they are very cold. Grind the duck/chicken with pork in a meat grinder with a medium grind blade. (Your butcher may do this for you if you place your request in advance.
Place the ground meat in a bowl, add garlic, shallots, 5 Spice Powder and salt. Mix well to combine thoroughly. To test for seasonings make a small patty and cook in a saute pan with a little oil, taste and add more salt if necessary.
Divide the meat evenly into 8 balls (about 1/3 pound each), flatten each into patties 1/2 inch thick and refrigerate until ready to cook.  Note: The patties may be made in advance and frozen (thaw wrapped patties overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.)
To make the dressing and slaw: Whisk together lime juice, fish or soy sauce, sugar and chili sauce in a small bowl.  Allow to sit for a short time, then add the green onions and cilantro. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and toss with the dressing allow to sit for 10 minutes or so before serving. I prefer to make the slaw as the burgers are cooking so it remains crisp and vibrant, however you can be made up to one day in advance.

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat add a teaspoon or two of neutral cooking oil and swirl around in the hot pan. Cook the burgers for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until cooked through, and crisp on the outside but still pink in the center. Burgers may also be grilled over medium high heat for the same amount of time.
To assemble, slice the brioche buns in half (like a hamburger bun), slightly hollow out each half. Spread 1/2 of the bun with mayonnaise, add the burger patty, top with slaw and finally the other brioche half and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Maria H. Sinskey

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Daeji Bulgogi (Korean-Style Grilled Pork)

Daeji Bulgogi (Korean-Style Grilled Pork)
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate by Mari
www.onceuponaplate1.com


Marinated and cooked on the grill, these thin slices of pork tenderloin are irresistible.  You can serve them with steamed rice, or wrapped in a lettuce leaf.  Traditionally kimchi and pickled vegetables are served along with this dish.
1 pound pork tenderloin, (remove any silver skin)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons mirin or sherry (not cooking sherry)
2 tablespoons gochujang*
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (Asian style)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon dry red pepper flakes (more or less depending upon the degree of heat you enjoy)  I use about 1/4 teaspoon.
2 to 3 green onions, both green and white parts, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
For serving: 
Leaf lettuce of your choice
kimchi
Pickled vegetables**
•For easier slicing, put the raw pork tenderloin in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour. In the meantime in a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, mirin (or sherry), gochujang, sesame oil,  grated ginger root, pepper flakes and green onion. Stir to combine.
•Slice the pork into thin slices (approximately 1/8-inch).  The most effective way of marinating is in a plastic zipper-style freezer bag. Place the sliced pork and onions in the plastic bag, then pour the marinade in.  Massage bag gently to distribute the marinade on all of the meat. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours.
•When ready to grill the meat, take the bag from the refrigerator and set aside while you light a charcoal grill.  When the charcoal is ready, clean and oil the grill grate. Place the slices of meat on the grill in a single layer, grill quickly (about a minute per side.) Serve immediately; tuck a few slices of meat in the lettuce leaf along with some kimchi and pickled vegetables, if desired.

* One of the key ingredients in the marinade is gochujan (fermented hot red pepper paste), which provides a majority of the flavor. Available in well stocked Asian grocery stores, it's worth searching out if you want to make bulgogi.  If, like me, you cannot find it locally you can order it through amazon.com as I did:

It comes in different levels of 'heat' ~ I purchased level 3 (medium hot), and found it to be very palatable). I don't like to feel as if my mouth is on fire, and this one tastes just right to me. (If you would like the dish to have more spice, increase the amount of red pepper flakes.)

** Easy recipe for Quick Asian-style pickled vegetables can be found HERE at the Whole Foods recipe site.

I hope you enjoy!

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Spicy Chicken Skewers ~ Thighs

Spicy Chicken Skewers (Thighs)

As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate
4 Servings

8 chicken thigh fillets, skinned and trimmed
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dried chili flakes (I use less; about 1 teaspoon)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons sea salt (or Kosher salt)

½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1 cup mint leaves
lemon wedges, to serve

Whisk paprika, chili, garlic, salt, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, add chicken and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours.

Heat a stovetop grill pan or barbecue over high heat. Thread the chicken onto skewers* and char-grill or barbecue for 3–4 minutes* or until cooked through. Sprinkle with mint leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

Donna's recipe instructs to grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked through. I cooked about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Don't overcook or the thighs will be tough.

*For easier turning and serving, I skewer 2 thighs on two parallel skewers.

Recipe adapted from Donna Hay

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Brazilian Grilled Steak with Artichoke Salsa

This wonderful recipe is from Sook on My Fabulous Recipes Blog. I only changed it slightly; as noted in brackets.

It really IS fabulous, too!

Brazilian Grilled Flank Steak w/ Artichoke Salsa
Ingredients:

Meat:
1 flank steak [I used sirloin, use what cut you like]
2 tablespoons oil
6 garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and very finely chopped
Steak seasoning [such as Montreal Steak Seasoning]

For the Salsa:

4 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced [I used cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved]
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup jarred artichoke hearts, diced [I used canned]
1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Rub the all over with olive oil. Rub the steak with minced garlic and jalapeno and season it with steak seasoning. Place it in a resealable plastic food bag or in a flat glass container] seal well. Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the Salsa:

Place all salsa ingredients in a medium sized bowl and toss gently to mix well. Set aside.

On a hot grill, preferably outdoor grill (you can use indoor grill if that is more convenient for you), grill the flank steak until the meat is cooked the way you like it.

Slice the meat thinly to serve. Serve with salsa on the side or on top of the meat.

My notes: This also makes a wonderful burrito when wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, or as a sandwich on a split, toasted baguette. SO good!

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Thank you to Sook the Cook, @ My Fabulous Recipes

Spicy & Sweet Curry Glazed Chicken or Pork

Chicken With Curry Glaze, Grilled or Roasted
4 servings
As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate

4 chicken breast halves, each half-breast cut into 2 pieces if desired. (Bone-in, Skin-on is best for this recipe)

OR substitute 1 whole chicken ~ cut up, or chicken wings *
salt and pepper for seasoning chicken before cooking

Basting ingredients:
Note: If you want additional sauce for dipping ~ mix double amount of ingredients, then divide in half ~ heat one half in a small pot until warmed through and well blended. Use remaining sauce for basting. Discard any leftover basting sauce when finished. Keep sauces separated to avoid cross-contamination.

1/2 cup blue agave syrup, or mild honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup butter (melted), or vegetable (I recently have begun using only 2 tablespoons veg. oil in this recipe)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, shallots, or several springles onion powder
scant tablesppon water
garlic ~ 1 or 2 cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder (I like Madras Brand)
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon (or more to taste) red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated (or 1/4 teaspoon dry ginger)

Prepare a grill if grilling, or if roasting preheat oven to 500* (F) and line a shallow baking pan with foil for easy clean-up.

Salt and pepper chicken and set aside.

Mix basting ingredients (all ingredients except chicken)

(Note~ since this basting sauce contains sugar, grill or roast chicken until nearly done, basting ONLY during the last couple of minutes of cooking or the sauce will burn before chicken is cooked through.)

Grill meat (or roast in hot oven) until nearly done. Start roasting with bone-side down for about 10 minutes or so, then turn so skin side is down, roast for another 10 minutes. Just before turning again, brush bone-side generously with curry baste, then turn so bone side is down. Continue roasting, during last few minutes of oven time brush or spoon additional marinade on skin side and continue baking until a deep caramel color is reached, but not burned. (Watch carefully.)

Remove chicken pieces to a platter, tent with foil and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

* This is a terrific baste for pork chops or pork tenderloin as well.

I hope you enjoy!

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Grilled Shrimp & Grapefruit Spinach Salad with Sweet Curry Dressing

... and toasted pecans!

The salad assembly is fairly straight forward as you can see from the photo, so I'll give you my rough proportions for the dressing. Please ~ by all means, adjust the amount of ingredients to your own tastes.

Sweet Curry Ginger Dressing
Easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled

Very good on grilled shrimp, chicken, pork tenderloin, or grilled seafood

1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon canola (or other mild vegetable oil)
1/2 to 1 heaping teaspoon Madras brand curry powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (such as Coleman's)
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh ginger; peeled and finely minced, or grated on a microplane to taste. (We love ginger so I use about 2 teaspoons of finely grated. Reduce or increase to your taste.)
2 to 3 teaspoons agave syrup, or honey; more or less depending upon how sweet the grapefruit juice is
Pinch of sea salt

You may also like a little freshly grated garlic as well; it's up to you! :)

Whisk all ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Whisk again before serving.

Grilled Turkey Burgers with Middle Eastern Flavors on Pita Bread

This is best made with dark meat ground turkey; I didn't have that so I used white meat ground turkey and added a a little extra olive oil and scant tablespoon of water to make up for the lack of turkey fat. (I'd rather eat olive oil than turkey fat any day! :))

Turkey Burgers with Middle Eastern Flavors, on Whole Wheat Pita Bread and Spicy Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey meat (because of our dietary requirements I reduce the amount of turkey, 4 ounce patties are about right for us.)

2 medium cloves garlic

Kosher salt

1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Cucumber and Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)

In a large bowl break the meat into large pieces . Mince the garlic, sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and mash to a paste. Gently mix the garlic paste, mint, parsley, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne into the turkey. Shape, the meat into 4 equal 1-inch-thick patties. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Prepare a medium charcoal or gas grill fire (or stove-top grill pan.) Grill the burgers until nice grill marks appear and just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in a burger should read 165 degrees F), 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Serve with Whole Wheat Pita Bread (click for the recipe) and Cucumber and Yogurt Sauce.



Cucumber and Yogurt Sauce

Makes about 1 cup (I love this, so I always make a little extra)

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced English cucumber

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Kosher salt

1/2 cup plain whole-milk or lowfat yogurt, preferably Greek (I use non-fat Greek yogurt)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of cayenne or Aleppo pepper; more to taste

Combine the cucumber, onion, and 1 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Allow to set at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Drain off the liquid and rinse to remove excess salt. Drain well and taste a few pieces; if it is still salty, rinse and drain again.

In a small bowl, combine the cucumber and onion with the yogurt, cilantro, sugar, and cayenne or Aleppo pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to develop.

Season to taste with salt and cayenne.

Adapted from "Fine Cooking" magazine # 94

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Greek Style Baby Back Pork Ribs ~ From My Friend Ann

If you like pork ribs, I'll bet you'll love these as much as my family and I do!

The recipe is from my friend Ann, at Thibeault's Table .

You must check out Ann's blog ~ it is loaded with excellent recipes.

Thibeault's Table Greek-style Baby Back Pork Ribs

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

1 or 2 Racks of Baby Back Pork Ribs

2 to 3 garlic cloves

dried oregano

Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

Lemon zest (Optional)

salt and pepper

Mince garlic and press with back of knife to turn into a paste. (or use a microplane)

Rub ribs with garlic, rub on oregano, salt and pepper and lemon zest ifusing. Squeeze juice of whole lemons over ribs a few hours before cooking.

Note: These can be marinated earlier in the day or overnight, but do not add the lemon juice until a few hours before grilling or the lemon will change the texture of the meat.

If using a gas or grill: Heat grill to high (both sides) Place ribs on one side of grill and turn that side off.

If using a charcoal grill: Use the indirect method of grilling (meat not directly over the fuel source.)

Cook, turning occasionally until ribs are tender.

Each grill will vary, but on Ann's (and my) grill (using the INDIRECT cooking method)

they take about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the ribs.

They may take a little less time, or a little longer; depending upon your grill.

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