BBQ Pork Pizza

Oh, this is just the perfect weekend blog post! Jerry and I always treat ourselves to a meal that is, let's just say, a little bit less healthy than our usual fare. This is typically preceded by an extra long run for me and a race or extra hard workout for Jerry. Enter in Jerry's favorite food: pizza. Now there is a wonderful brewery in town that has an amazing wood-fired pizza oven, called Mountain State Brewing. They are lovely and have delicious pizza with creative toppings, yummy sandwiches, and of course, beer (my favorite is the Coalminer's Daughter Oatmeal Stout). We love it there, but in keeping a tight budget we don't tend to go there as often as we might like. One night Jerry had a foot out the door saying, "I want the Cuban pulled-pork pizza from Mountain State!" Not wanting to go out myself, and not wanting to pay $20 for a fancy pizza, I told him: "I can make that for you." Within an hour I was scouring the internet to figure out how to make pulled pork (great, it takes all day...well, I don't have all day...great, you are supposed to cook with a pork butt or shoulder cut of meat, I only have a small pork loin...A SMOKER?!?!), and trying to find a way to not completely mess up my promise of the same pizza to Jerry. Well, somehow I figured out a way to cook the meat in about 30 minutes, and make it taste just like it does at Mountain State. So, either I am a magician or perhaps they don't do all that fancy stewing, smoking, either. You decide!

Serves: 

2

Ingredients:

• whole wheat pizza dough (see here for my whole wheat dough recipe)
• 1 tsp smoky pork rub (I used Mitchell Steak Seasoning from Penzey spices)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 lb- 1 lb lean pork loin
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

Cooking:

1. Prepare your dough and preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Prepare the pork loin with the rub.
3. In a cast-iron bean pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat your oil over med-high heat. Once it starts to glisten, add the onions and garlic to the pot, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes, until the onions starts to become translucent.
4. Push the garlic and onions to the side, then using tongs, put your pork loin in, searing one side. Keep that side down for 1-2 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Continue until all sides of the pork loin have been seared.
5. Pour in the cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Cover with the lid and place in your oven for about 30 minutes. The internal temp of the pork loin should be 145°.
6. Increase the oven temp to 415°. Stretch out your dough onto a large pizza pan or pizza stone. Then either with a fork and knife, or two forks, begin to pull apart the pork loin. It should look shredded as you go. I remove any pieces of fat that might be present.
7. When the pork is shredded, mix in the remaining barbecue sauce. If it looks dry, you can add more. Then spoon this onto the pizza as your sauce.
8. Top with the mozzarella and green peppers.
9. Pop in the oven for about 13-15 minutes, or until the crust and cheese begin to brown.
10. Slice into 8 pieces.
11. Enjoy.

Notes:

• We will still go to Mountain State and order this pizza! They have a wood-fired oven and you just can't replicate that. But this is a good, less expensive, alternative for a night in!
• The first time I made this the measurements for barbecue sauce, vinegar and brown sugar were spot on, but the second time I needed a little more of each as it was a little dry, so I added more. 
• My cast-iron bean pot is the perfect tool for this dish, as it goes from stove-top to oven without a problem. You could easily use a heavy skillet and then transfer everything to a glass covered casserole dish for baking.
• If it is St. Patrick's Day, you should definitely arrange your bell peppers to that they are in the shape of shamrocks:

Erin go bragh! (Not that this dish has ANYTHING to do with Ireland...I just made it on St. Paddy's Day.)

I was so thrilled when Jerry exclaimed: "This is perfect! It tastes just like it!" Yes! I did it, and I did it without "traditional" (read: time-consuming) means. I hope you will like this too!

-Carly

(Apricot-ed) Chicken & Goat Cheese Pizza

Pizza making has become an artistry of sorts. No longer are your only choices pepperoni or sausage. There is so much variety and versatility with a simple crust and cooking technique. We only eat pizza occasionally and this is a "healthier" pizza that is a delicious and satisfying meal. I found a terrific whole wheat dough recipe that I use anytime we make pizza. It tastes even better than regular old white pizza crust. My husband used to scoff at the prospect of a pizza without red sauce...he used to before this pizza, anyway.

Origin:

This is a variation of a Cooking Light Magazine recipe: Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza

Serves:

2 Healthy Appetites; 4 Smaller Appetites

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 packet of dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast)
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave
• 2-3 cups whole wheat flour

Toppings:

• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 /8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cooked chicken breast, sliced
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salad:

• 8 oz baby arugula
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey or agave 

Cooking:

Crust:

1. To activate the yeast, combine the honey/agave, warm water and then sprinkle the yeast in. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the flour a little at a time, until you can no longer stir with a spoon, then knead the dough for a couple minutes until you form a shiny ball, it should neither be sticky nor dry. Adjust your flour and water accordingly. Cover and keep in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled its size.

3. Punch the dough down and spread onto your pan. The pan should be lightly coated with cooking spray.

Pizza & Toppings:

1. Preheat oven to 415°

2.Mix the olive oil and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Spread this on your pizza crust as your "sauce."

3. Spread the mozzarella cheese over the crust next. Then layer with chicken and chunks of goat cheese.

4. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the cheese should be starting to brown.

5. While the pizza is cooking, set your balsamic vinegar in a small pot to simmer and reduce. 

6. To prepare the salad, simply mix the lemon juice and honey/agave in a large bowl and toss in your arugula and green onions.

7. When everything is ready to go, slice the pizza into 8 pieces. Drizzle the balsamic reduction on individual pieces (as it will potentially get soggy if you put it over the whole pizza) and top with a generous portion of the arugula salad.

8. Enjoy! 

Notes:

• Using preserves is perfect for the 10 months a year that peaches and apricots just aren't in season. However, when they ARE in season, skip the apricot "sauce" and just add fresh slices of fruit to your toppings. I've also successfully used ripe mango slices on this pizza.
• Use a decent pizza cutter. I have a "traditional" metal cutter and it is junk. I received a fantastic pizza cutter from a teacher's union representative who was trying to recruit me. If your cutter doesn't cut, but pushes the pizza toppings, find a new one. Or join a teacher's union. Ha!
• Gorgonzola cheese can be a very good option for this pizza, especially if you like cheese. Goat cheese is lighter and less pungent, yet still serves it's purpose in cutting the sweetness of the apricot. 
• The whole wheat crust is essential. A white crust would completely change the taste of this dish. Trust me when I tell you that this crust is DELICIOUS. And if you don't trust me, trust my husband- he thinks it's the best!
• I usually try to cook my chicken ahead of time, either earlier in the week or while the crust is rising. It makes prep so much easier.

So, if you are up for a "different" type of pizza, give this one a go. You'll want to keep coming back for more...I promise!

-Carly