Dad's Day Special: Grilled Pizza!

"Barbeque Queen" Elizabeth Karmel Offers "Shoestring" Recipes

(CBS) 

Blistered Corn, Asparagus & Pesto Pizza
Serves 2 to 4

The pesto base, sun-dried tomatoes, and Brie smack of an '80s culinary hit parade. But when they share the stage with the blistered corn and grilled asparagus, they create an unmistakably modern taste that is nothing short of addictive.

INGREDIENTS:

2 ears corn, husks removed
12 asparagus spears, woody bottoms discarded
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
1 cup Basil pesto (see below) or store-bought
12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 4 strips each
6 ounces Brie, rind removed if preferred, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips, then cut into 1-inch squares
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Adventure Club:

Replace the asparagus with fiddleheads or scapes (wild scallions).

Drink This:

Cru Beaujolais (such as Moulin-a-Vent, Morgon, and Fleurie) is a poor man's fine burgundy. It's frequently more supple and made to drink young, which makes it a perfect complement for a pizza like this that explodes with flavor.

METHOD:

Preheat the grill.

Brush the corn and asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt, then place them on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill, turning occasionally, until the begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Let cool. To remove the kernels, stand the corn upright. Grip the top of the cob and slide your sharpest knife straight down between the cob and kernels. Cut the asparagus tips off, then cut the remaining stalks into 1/4-inch pieces. Reserve both for topping.

Roll out and shape the dough, then grill the first side of the crust per the master instructions. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.

Spread the entire surface with the pesto. Sprinkle with the corn, asparagus, and tomatoes. Top with the cheese.

Finish grilling the pizza per the master instructions.

Remove from the grill, sprinkle with the red pepper, and season with salt and black pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Basil Pesto
Makes 1 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted
4 cups fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Master Pizza Grilling Instructions (Gas Grill)

Preheat the grill by setting all the burners on high. After lighting, close the lid and leave on high for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat of all the burners to medium.

Meanwhile, sprinkle your work surface with the grits or polenta. Place the dough in the middle of the surface. You can either roll out the dough with a rolling pin, stretch it out with your hands, or press it out from the center against the work surface. Ideally, you want a 12-inch, organically shaped piece of dough-round, square, or rectangular-1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (err on the thinner side for thin-crust pizza and on the thicker side for thick-crust pizza). Drizzle or brush both sides generously with oil. Our recipes call for 2 tablespoons, but we tend to use more oil when making our own pizzas, which results in a thinner and crispier crust.

Pick up the dough by the two corners closest to you. In one motion, lay it down flat on the cooking grate from back to front (as you would set a tablecloth down on a table). Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes (no peeking!), then check the crust and, if necessary, continue grilling a few more minutes until the bottom is well marked and nicely browned.

Use tongs to transfer the crust from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Close the lid of the grill. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side. Follow the specific recipe directions for adding any sauce, toppings, and/or cheese.

Switch the grill to indirect heat by turning off the center burner(s) if you have a three-or four-burner grill. For a two-burner grill, turn off one burner. Set the pizza back on the grate over indirect heat (the unlit section) and grill, with the lid down, until the bottom is well browned and the cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. For two-burner grills, rotate the pizza halfway through the cooking time.

Remove from the grill, garnish, and season as directed. Slice and serve immediately.

ICE CREAM WITH HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Chocolate Ganache
Makes 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon bourbon or a sweet liqueur (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD:

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat to almost boiling, then add the sugar and stir to combine.

Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Remove the cream from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until it's melted and well combined. Add the bourbon, vanilla, and salt, stirring constantly until the mixture is cool the touch. If the chocolate does not melt all the way, place the mixture in a double boiler and gently heat until melted.
This will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

HOW DID ELIZABETH DO WITH OUR $40 BUDGET?

1ST COURSE

watermelon $2.76
limes .40
orange .75
cayenne pepper $1.49
mint $1.49
feta cheese 2.39

2ND COURSE

polenta $1.59
pizza dough $2.00
tomato sauce .79
pepperoni $1.49
mozzarella cheese $2.39
parmesan cheese $2.24
red pepper flakes .79
corn $1.00
asparagus $2.99
basil pesto $1.79
sun-dried tomatoes 3.49
Brie cheese $3.85

3RD COURSE

heavy cream $1.19
bittersweet chocolate $2.99
ice cream $1.99

FINAL COST = $39.86!

[sjw1253]

I find it interesting how people are taking a topic as simple as a "special meal" on a budget and take it to the politics. I wonder if those people are a bit OCDish about their politics.

This is not a meal for every day. Not everyone in America is overweight and there are clearly many people who need help with healthy nutritional needs.

I am much too underweight due to a rare disease. I need help in nourishing myself. I appreciate these recipes & cooking segments & shows very much.

The health benefits of olive oil are well proven and one dose not need to spend $40 to get the benefits from olive oil. The same for Balsalmic Vinegar.

I love the stuff and pay maybe ?$3/bottle at my local grocery store... The cheap stuff is great and I am sure it has its value in nutrition as well.

I just say - Lighten UP!!! - to those of you who are so synical and "sarcastic" about this segment. I love it and am glad to have the benefits of a "lighter side" of information.

Believe me runningralph - there are plenty of your type of stories plastered all over the news... Please realize that the programs are not focused strictly on you...

There are millions of people out here other than you with their wants & needs that matter just as much...

[runningralph]

Americans are too preoccupied with food. TV cooking shows, newspaper recipes, millions of cookbooks. Obesity is a national epidemic. The public would do better to devote that much attention on lowering the illegitimate birth rate, crime rate, drug addiction, fuel consumption, illegal immigration, Islamic jihad, etc. Food consumption should be looked as temptation to be controlled, not as a goal to seek.

[cyberus-2009]

(WARNING MASSIVE SARCASM ALERT)

$40 too much? No Way!!!

Heck I spend $8 a every morning on my oompa-soy-loompa-half-doompa-da-dee-uber-grande-latte and $20 at lunch for my wild caught salmon and organic baby green salad with 50yr old balsamic vinegar and hand pressed extra virgin olive oil dressing. $40 is NOTHING!

(Alert! You aresafe now .. the sarcasm storm has ended)

[denn034]

Most people budget say $500 for food which, works out to $16 a day. $40 a day would break average people. No one has extra money to splurge like that anymore, people. Liberals think that people have all this excess cash that can be taxed more which, is about as disconnected from reality as it gets. If anything, people need more money just to pay their current bills. It''s beyond amoral that the Democrats would even consider raising taxes or fees nationally, statewide, or locally. Period.

[denn034]

The words "a three-course meal for four on a budget of only $40" shows how disconnected the Media is from regular society. $40*30=$1200. Now, who here has a $1200 Grocery bill even with these high prices? Who here could even afford a $1200 Grocery bill? Come on now, CBS!

[prairiefox1]

Trim off the tough bottom of the spear by grasping each end and bending it gently until it snaps at its natural point of tenderness, usually two-thirds of the way down the spear. If the spear is less than six inches long, chances are it''s already been trimmed for you.
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SUCH A WASTE ! PEEL THE STALKS AND COOK THEM! THEY WILL BE TENDER AND YOU WILL GET MORE THAN THEY STATE!
I DO THIS ALL THE TIME! NEXT THEY WILL SAY THROW AWAY THE HEADS! REDICULAS!!!!

[prairiefox1]

I LOVE BARBECUED BEANS, BUT MOST OF THEM KEEP FALLING THROUGH THE GRILL!

[husein_pasha]

Because the grill will hurt more heavily when the bomb explodes, won`t it?

[husein_pasha]

Drink your pills and don`t give opinion when you are not asked

[husein_pasha]

Every day is dad`s day