Big Green Egg | Pizza Party

Well, given the previous post about Red Pack tomatoes, I knew some pizza sauce was in order. This is one of the best pizza sauces ever. It's simple: whole peeled tomatoes, fresh minced garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, quality olive oil and salt & pepper (I also added some garlic powder for some extra umph! Recipe below.) It's also uncooked because when your Big Green Egg hits temps of 700-800, it's plenty hot to 'cook' the sauce; this keeps it tangy, sweet and bright.

In addition, some homemade pizza dough was necessary. It is really not as onerous as you would think, in fact, if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, the process is pretty damn easy. Three important pieces to this are using at least OO flour (very fine) letting the dough sufficiently rise so that it is not too elastic, and stretching it out THIN. I love thin crust pizza, and it took me two pies to get the method down for cracker thin crust (it had been a WHILE since I had made pizza at home. Recipe also below).

Oh, two more tips. I used a pizza peel covered in cornmeal to set the pies up, and then slid them into an 800 degree Big Green Egg! When using an Egg, the longer you leave the lid open, the cooler you are going to go. This is exponentially magnified when it is in the teens (as it was when I was making these pizzas). Twenty seconds with the lid open and the dome temp was down 150 degrees. You want to make sure your stone is hot, rather than just the Egg/grill/oven. I let it heat for at least an hour prior to pizza time. I am a newbie to the BGE, but I can't recommend it enough. It's expensive, but it's so much fun. The range of temperatures is mind boggling.

My first effort below. They started getting thinner after this one - admittedly, I was in a rush to get my pizza party started.

Look at how the cheese started to brown. This was the worst pizza of the four I made and it was better than 99% of the pizza I have eaten in my life. Which is a boatload of pizza.

The second pizza got better through the incorporation of spicy meats.

This version incorporated previously made meatloaf (also smoked to perfection on the egg), and featured BBQ sauce and cheddar. Incredible.

The char on the bottom is perfect. Each pizza cooked in a couple minutes. I can't wait to have some pizza parties. Now if I only had friends.

BEST MARINARA RECIPE (this recipe should do about 6 pies)
1 (28oz.) can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T quality olive oil
1 t oregano
1 t garlic powder
salt & pepper to your taste

I was following a recipe that called for one can of tomatoes, but it didn't say to dump out the liquid, so I went all-in with the entire contents and added a can of tomato paste later to thicken the juicy sauce and I couldn't have been more pleased with the result. So I'm telling you here my exact method.

Dump the 28oz can of tomatoes with juice and the minced garlic into a medium stock pot (not because you'll be cooking it, but because the high walls will help reduce splash action in the next step). Using a potato masher, smash the tomatoes until they're pulverized and broken into bite size chunks that suit your fancy. Do not use any sharp blades or machines to do this step because you do not want to break the seeds open - the broken seeds will just add unwanted bitterness to your sweet and tangy sauce. Once you have a good crush going, add the remaining ingredients and mix well with the potato masher, again, just combine everything and don't get too aggressive. Make sure your tomato paste is amply dissolved and you're done! Set it aside until you're ready to spoon it onto your crust.

THIN CRUST PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE (this recipe did 4 10 inch pies and takes almost 3 hours)
By weight - I do not recommend volume measurements for any baking because precision is key
500 grams Tipo 00 flour
325 grams lukewarm water
10 grams salt
6 grams sugar
3 grams active dry yeast

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer, slowly for 2 minutes, faster for 5 minutes and then slowly again for 2 minutes. Remove bowl from stand and form dough into loose ball and cover with Saran wrap and set in a warm area to let it rise for about 1.5-2 hours; punch it down and push any air bubbles out. Form the dough into a loose ball again and cut into four equal pieces. If you want bigger pies or a thicker crust, do three equal pieces. Form each of those pieces into balls with a smooth top and seam-side down, set them on a baking sheet and dust the tops lightly with flour; cover with the Saran wrap (this prevents them from drying out, you want them to stay moist until you're ready to roll out your crusts) and let them rest for another 45 minutes to an hour. This is important because the balls will become soft and elastic, allowing you the thinnest crustabilities.

Roll that shit out!
On a lightly floured surface.

Top it!
With anything.

Cook it!
On a pizza stone in a 500 degree oven if you don't have a grill. Your ideal temp is 700-800, so if you have a grill and a stone, try that to get even hotter. You want your stone to be piping hot before sliding the pie on - put cornmeal down on the stone and put it on your pizza peal - or if you don't have a peal, use the bottom of a baking sheet as your prep surface and slide your pie easily off it into the oven.

How long?
Keep an eye on it. You'll know when it's ready.

EAT.

The Mexican Coney

Hot Diggity's Hot Dog Competition
July 22nd on South Street

Hot Diggity was having a hot dog topping competition this past weekend, and I felt that the world needed to be exposed to my Mexican Coney dog. So I entered. And I did not win.

No cooking was allowed to be done on the premises, so I had to prep everything in advance.

The Mexican Coney consists of: 1) chipotle-lime crema.

2) A hot dog topped with chorizo-based, Mexican-style Coney sauce (scroll down for recipe).

3) A heavy-handed sprinkle of queso fresco.

4) Some cilantro, onion, and pickled jalapeno relish.

5) Another hit of chipotle-lime crema.

The esteemed judging panel consisted of (Left to Right): Owner of Hot Diggity, Keith, amazing hot dog illustrator Hawk Krall, local legend of greasy eats Holly Moore, and head chef at American Sardine Bar, Scott Schroeder.

While I could not ever personally pick braised lentils over chorizo Coney sauce, they did. There were a lot of contestants, and a huge variety of dogs. It must have been exhausting having to eat so much encased meat. Luckily, that crew was up for the challenge. It was a fun contest, and hopefully will become a yearly event. See below for Mexican Coney sauce recipe. Also, try this one over nachos. You will not be disappointed.

Chorizo Coney Sauce Recipe:
1 pack of chorizo (5 links)
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
2 T ketchup
2 T yellow mustard
2 T chipotle in adobo
1 t white pepper
2 t celery seed
1 cup water

Instructions: Remove the sausage from the casings, throw into a dutch oven or stock pot. Break apart and render fat over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add in onions and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. After 5 minutes, add 1 cup water (or a bit more if necessary) as the meat will begin getting crumbly. Simmer another 15-20 minutes, let cool and eat over hot dogs, nachos, or any application where a Mexican style chili would be delicious.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Crusted Fish with Lime Vinaigrette

So one of my favorite places to eat in this world has an amazing crusted fish variety, and I felt the best way to beat the winter doldrums and think fondly of my favorite Florida restaurant was to recreate their famous sweet potato crusted fish over mixed greens. Plus, I am fat after the holidays and I needed a tasty and somewhat healthy weeknight recipe. I found a great site that recreates the famous preparation here, so I am adapting that recipe below (with permission) for my own cooking style and taste.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:
1	whole bunch cilantro large stems picked
2	medium cloves garlic
2	limes (juiced)
½	cup olive oil (or grape seed/canola)
1	tablespoon mayo (Hellman's or homemade)
1	teaspoon sea salt
1	teaspoon fresh ground pepper
	pinch of sugar pinch of cayenne
Fish:
1	pound light flaky fish (I used Cod, it's cheap and a good vessel for crispy starches, but many types will work)
1	large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
1	egg plus 2 egg whites
½	cup flour - seasoned with a pinch of cayenne, sea salt & cracked pepper
2	TBS canola oil (or any high smoke point oil)
2	TBS butter

First make the vinaigrette. Throw everything in the food processor, hit it for about 10 seconds, transfer and reserve in the fridge, covered. Really easy. And incredibly delicious.

Next, get the sweet potatoes in order. Anyone who has worked with these knows they can be hard as hell to work with due to their incredibly hard interior. I combated this by cutting it into chunks and then throwing it in the food processor that was already out and running – just switch out the chopper for the grater blade. Quick, easy, and perfectly shredded. Season up your flour in one dish; get your 2 egg whites plus 1 egg in another dish and mix, and heat your pan.

If you are doing this over a salad, I highly recommend it for a quick healthy meal, get the salad totally ready. Don't worry about dressing. Remember that vinaigrette? Right.

I literally just cleared all of the veggies out of the fridge, opened a can of chickpeas, threw on some dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and shredded some nice Parmigiano Reggiano right on top.

Get your pan good and hot (medium-high heat) and lay down a bed of potato shreds for each piece of fish.

Batter those fish pieces, flour first, then egg, and throw them right on top of the shredded starch piles.

Be careful, because those things will burn. Adjust the heat as needed. When it's moving as one, and to your desired crispness, try to get it all with a thin and sturdy spatula (fish-spatula highly recommended). (Tip: this side will be the one you are displaying, so make sure it looks pretty and don't worry about a little burning, it won't come through in the finished product and will build flavor.) At this point, while it's held mid-air, you build another potato nest and carefully flip your fish in a blanket onto it's un-crusted side.

Lower the heat a bit and cover if the fish is thick, but in my case, the fish cooked extremely fast, so just try to get the other side crispy as well. Don't forget to add butter. When it's finished, carefully throw that thing onto your pre-built salad. If you forgot to pre-build, give yourself a light smack for failing to follow directions and let your dinner get cold on a plate while assembling. Or if you are not a masochist, just have a delightful piece of sweet potato crust fish with the vinaigrette and pretend you never wanted the salad in the first place. The fish will stay incredibly moist, and the dressing will make you look like a pro, even though the total cook time (including prep, excluding cleanup) start to finish is less than 40 minutes.

 

Smoked Pork Butt

So after eating at Paesano's, and with the smoker heating up back at home, I stopped at Cannuli Brothers to pick up some pig. It was shockingly empty, and so I was the belle of the ball. I didn't know what I wanted (I was leaning towards butt or ribs) and the guy who works there that looks like Steven Seagal (seriously it's crazy) recommended I try the boneless butt for once. I took his word and headed home on cloud nine, with a belly full of Paesano's and a bag full of pork. I threw some more wood (I found some dry wood buried in my stack) and got the smoker back up to temperature. I then rinsed the pork, dried it and gave it a healthy dry rub of brown sugar and various (secret) spices and put it on the smoker.

(Well, first I had to clear out a spot for the chimney starter.)

So after a 6 hour smoke, this boneless butt was ready to come off (because I was starving). The bark turned out amazing, sweet with a late spicy grab on your tastebuds. The boneless butt cooked faster, and had much less prep than my experience with the bone-ins. I was impressed.

(Hot off the grill)

(After a 3o minute rest)

(I gave it a rough chop for Texas style tacos.)

(Some pico, marinated onions, fresh guac, sprinkle of lime and some cilantro. Awesome.)