BLT Salad "Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza"

“BLT” Butter Lettuce Salad

Yield: 1 serving
2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh herbs (basil, chervil, chives, tarragon, etc.)
1 head butter lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons bacon, chopped and cooked until crispy
Buttermilk Dressing (recipe follows)

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the herbs. Add in the lettuce, tomatoes and bacon and toss with as much of the dressing as desired. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Dressing

Yield: about 2 cups

1/2 shallot
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
1 egg yolk
Salt and pepper to taste
11/2 cups canola oil

Place all ingredients except the oil into a blender and pulse. Place the blender on a slow setting and slowly drizzle in the canola oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve or store, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

Pizza Dough

Margherita Pizza

Recipe makes 3 pizzas (300g each)

Ingredients (dough):
1 1/2 cups of warm water (105 to 110 degrees)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons of dry yeast (not bread machine or instant yeast)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat  bowl.
500 grams Tipo "00" flour from Napoli or Barilla (you can find in Italian markets)
30 grams Semolina flour

Ingredients (pizza sauce)
1 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions (Dough):
Stir sugar and yeast into the warm water. Wait 10 minutes. The yeast should begin to foam across the surface. If it does not foam, begin again. When the foam appears on the surface stir in the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Weigh 500 grams of the flour and 30 grams of semolina and place in bowl of Kitchen Aid. Add the yeast mixture and using the dough hook mix on low for 2 minutes then increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes of mixing on medium, lower the speed to low and mix for a final 2 minutes.

While mixing, coat a bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Place in a warm spot for 11/2 to 2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and the form into three equal pieces. If you have a scale, each piece should weigh about 280 grams. Form into three balls and let rest for 45 minutes. Form into pizza with about 14 inch diameter.

Directions (pizza sauce)
Drain tomatoes and chop coarsely in a processor or blender. Add the oil and oregano and mix. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.

Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of pizza sauce
Add about 1/2 pound of fresh shredded mozzarella
Add tablespoon of shredded parmesan
Drizzle with olive oil
Bake for 8-10 minutes in a 500 degree oven on a pizza stone.
Top with chiffonade of basil

Cocktail Rye Swiss Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients: 1 c. shredded Swiss cheese 1/4 c. Helmsman's mayonnaise 1/4 c. bacon bits (real bacon) 1 tbsp. chives Cocktail rye Directions: Mix ingredients and spread on cocktail rye crackers. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and place under a broiler until slightly browned.

Osso Buco alla Milanese with Mario Batali's Gremolata

1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Lemon peel cut into strips
6-8 veal shanks cut 2 inches thick
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 (1 pound) can Italian tomatoes, cut up, with juice
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs Italian parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine onion, carrots, celery butter and garlic in large heavy casserole or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat for  8-10 minutes. Add 2 strips lemon peel and remove from heat. Dredge veal  pieces in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Brown veal on all sies. Arrange on top of vegetables in casserole or Dutch oven. Tip skillet and draw off nearly all fat with a spoon. Add wine and boil briskly for about 3 minutes., scrapping up any brown bits stuck to the pan. Pour over veal. Add broth, tomatoes and juice, thyme, basil, bay leaves, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The broth should come up to the top of veal pieces. If it does not, add more broth. Bring to a gentle boil. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees about 2 hours, carefully turning and basting veal every 20 minutes. Garnish with more strips of lemon peel.  Serve wth Gremolata.

• GREMOLATA
• (Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted under the broiler until dark brown
• Zest of 1 lemon

Mix the parsley, pine nuts and lemon zest loosely in a small bowl. Set aside utnil ready to serve.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Santa Maria Pinquito Bean Relish - Bobby Flay Grill It.

½ pound slab bacon, finely diced
1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
1 poblano chile, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans pinquito or pinto beans, drained, rinsed and drained again
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper

1.Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Add the onion and poblano to the bacon fat in the pan and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beans and cook until warmed through. Fold in the cooked bacon and cilantro and transfer to a medium bowl.

Smoked Red Pepper Sauce (Bobby Flay)

Ingredients

• 4 grilled red bell peppers, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves roasted garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chipotle puree
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup canola oil or olive oil

Directions

Combine peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard, chipotle and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. Strain sauce into a bowl.

Cook's Note: This classic sauce is great on grilled veggies, chicken, fish and steak.