Asparagus Pizza with Pancetta from Cooking Light

We love pizza around here.  It's a Friday night tradition.  That one comes loaded--pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, onions, three cheeses, the works.  This pizza is simpler and fresher.  It's also from Cooking Light, so it's a bit healthier. This is technically a flatbread, so the dough has less rise, but I've also made it successfully with pizza dough.

THE BRIEF


The Dough:
1/2 warm (not hot) water
1 tsp. dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water in a medium bowl and let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy.  Spoon 1 cup of flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife.  Combine the flour and salt with the yeast and water and stir.  Flour a smooth surface and turn dough onto it.  Knead dough, adding remaining flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough is smooth and elastic.  This process will take approximately 8 minutes, and the dough will still be a little sticky.

Spray the bowl with cooking spray.  Return the dough to the bowl and turn it to coat it with cooking spray.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 475 degrees and prepare the toppings.

The Toppings:
1/2 pound asparagus (It's best to use thin spears, but if not, slice thicker spears in half so they cook quickly.)
2 oz. mozzarella (You want a good quality mozzarella here.)
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano (It's the best, but I've subbed regular Parmesan without noticing a lot of different.)
2 oz. pancetta
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (The original recipe calls for one clove, but we're garlic lovers.)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. large crystal salt (This may not be strictly necessary, but the salty crunch is a really nice touch.  I found a large Australian sea salt at Trader Joe's.)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Wash the asparagus (and slice if necessary), and pat dry.

Chop the pancetta.  Cook over medium heat until just starting to get crispy.  Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic, thyme, and pepper.  (Note: This is a deviations from the original recipe, which calls for you to cook the garlic and thyme with the pancetta.  This results in garlic that is ultimately burned and bitter, in my opinion.)

Assembling the pizza:
Return to the dough.  Punch it down, re-cover, and let it rest for 5 additional minutes.  Then, roll it out on a floured surface until it is about 10 inches in diameter and place it on a pizza pan or sheet pan.

Top the dough with the pancetta, garlic, and thyme mixture, then the asparagus.  Sprinkle on the salt.  Top the pizza with the mozzarella (either slice it or tear it into chunks).  Bake the pizza for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and slice.  Shave the Parm on top of the slices.  Enjoy.

THE VERDICT: 4 Gavels

This pizza is lovely. The crispy, saltiness of the pancetta plays well against the bright, grassiness of the asparagus and the thyme adds a nice hint of lemon.  And garlic. Well, garlic just makes everything better, right?

Give this one a shot.  Even if you aren't comfortable with making doughs, you can handle this.  My husband is the baker in our family, but I can manage this dough.  The small size of the batch makes it easy.

Fried Chicken Bites from Southern Living

Being a good southern girl, I love fried chicken.  I've made it at home a few times, but it always seems like a lot of effort.  Large pieces of bone-in chicken requires two batches of oil, and dark and white meat are done in different lengths of time.  It's time consuming and messy. This recipe gives you all of the flavor and crunch of traditional fried chicken without the fuss and muss.

IN BRIEF

Fried Chicken Bites from Southern Living (adapted slightly)

1 1/2 tsp. to 1 TBS ground red pepper (I used 1 1/2 tsp. and the bites were mildly spicy. I'd probably go 2 or more tsp. next time)

1 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups buttermilk

3 bread slices, toasted (day old bread works well.)

1 cup all-purpose flour

Oil for frying

1.  Combine the first 7 ingredients and mix well.  Divide in half.

2.  In a medium bowl, add the chicken and 1/2 of the spice mixture. Toss to coat. Stir in the buttermilk.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.  (I prepped this in the morning and fried it in the evening.)

3.  Tear the toasted bread into chunks and put it in a food processor.  Add the remaining 1/2 of the spice mixture and process until the bread resembles cornmeal. Add the flour and pulse to combine.

4.  Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk and dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture. 

5.  Pour 2-inches of oil in a Dutch oven (I cheated here and used about 1-inch of oil in an iron skillet) and heat over med-high heat to 350degrees. 

6.  Fry the chicken bites until golden brown, turning once or twice.  Southern Living suggests 6 to 7 minutes per side, but mine took more like 4-5 minutes.

7.  Drain the chicken bites on a wire rack over paper towels and sprinkle with salt to taste.

VERDICT: 4 Gavels

I loved this.  The chicken bites are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.  The hint of spice was a nice touch.  As I mentioned, I'd up the cayenne amount a bit, but we like spicy food.  I served these with store-bought sweet potato fries and ranch dressing, but I'd love to try them with a nice potato salad.  They'd also make a great selection for a picnic--I bet they'd be terrific cold.  

Despite the lengthy ingredient list, the initial prep for this takes less than 15 minutes and can be done the night before or in the morning before work.  Dredging the marinated chicken in breadcrumbs and frying takes 30 minutes or so.  This recipe is easy and tasty; give it a try.

Tortilla Soup from The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman

I first encountered Sopa de Tortilla (Tortilla Soup) at a small restaurant with big flavors called Wholly Frijoles in the suburbs of Chicago.  Their soup is thick, rich, and tomato-y -- like a smokey, spicy tomato soup -- and is topped with fried tortilla strips.  I spent a long time trying to find a recipe to duplicate Wholly Frijoles' soup, but the recipes I found were all chicken broth-based with chunks of chicken and vegetables -- more like a chicken noodle soup than a tomato soup.  Finally, I wised up and went to my copy of The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman (of How to Cook Everything fame).  There, I found this version of Tortilla Soup.  

One of the nice things about this soup is that it's good in all seasons.  The flavor of the tomatoes is concentrated by roasting, so even the pale, winter ones work.  I've included instructions for roasting the tomatoes (also adapted from The Best Recipes in the World), but if you prefer, the recipe also allows for canned tomatoes. 

IN BRIEF

Roasted Tomatoes (adapted)

3-4 fresh tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices

2-3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400degrees.  Spread tomato slices in one layer on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle S&P. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until soft.

Tortilla Soup (adapted)

1/2 corn or canola oil 

6 (or more if preferred -- I like a lot for garnish and usually use 12) corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 inch slices

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 large onion, diced

2 (or more if you like it spicier) dried chiles, stemmed, seeded, and sliced (Bittman prefers pasilla peppers. I've used guajillo and ancho chiles, depending on what I can find in the Latin food section of my store.)

3-4 tomatoes, roasted (or canned tomatoes)

6 cups chicken broth 

2 TBS lime juice

1 cup cilantro leaves

1 cup Mexican fresh cheese, like queso fresco 

1 ripe avocado, sliced (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

1 cup shredded cooked chicken (optional)

1.  Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  When hot, fry the tortilla strips in small batches until golden brown and crispy.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.

2.   Remove 2 TBS of the oil used to fry tortillas to a large saucepan or Dutch Oven. Over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

3.  Add the chiles, roasted tomatoes (and their juice), and 1/2 of the tortillas strips and cook for another 5 minutes.

4.  Add the chicken broth and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.  

5.  Let the soup cool slightly, add half of the cilantro leaves, then puree with an immersion blender (or in a food processor) until smooth.

5b.  (If using chicken, add it now and return the soup to the stove over medium heat until heated through).

6. Season with the lime juice and S&P. Spoon into bowls and garnish with cheese, remaining cilantro, remaining tortilla strips, and avocado and sour cream (if using).

THE VERDICT: 4 Gavels

This is the Tortilla soup that I remember from Wholly Frijoles. The base is smoky and spicy from the dried chiles.  The cilantro, lime, and cheese add a brightness.  The tortilla strips give it a nice crunch.  It's a favorite recipe.

You're Invited

Welcome to my little corner of the blogging world.  I love food.  I love reading. These loves combined into a love of cookbooks and food magazines, and a large collection of both.  Yet when I go to prepare dinner, I find myself preparing the same dishes over and over.  They're good meals, but I want to stretch my range. So I'm dedicating myself to cooking from my collection of cookbooks and magazines. My goal is to make 1-2 new recipes a week, but I want this to be fun, so it's a loose goal. More importantly, I'm taking this journey to learn more about food--its flavors, ingredients, and cultures.

You're invited along for the trip.