Saturday Night Pizza: Chicken Sausage, Onion & Broccoli Rabe with a Whole Wheat Crust

Yes, my dears, I do realize that naming a post "Saturday Night Pizza" is a bit confusing because today is not Saturday. It's Tuesday. Boo. I miss Saturday and all of its loungy, no work at all, weekend glory. I meant to post this recipe last Saturday but I was really busy doing Saturday activities (for example, napping, watching bad tv, surfing celebrity gossip sites on the internet) which means that I am now posting Saturday Night Pizza on a Boring Workday Tuesday. So be it.

Let's proceed, shall we?

Saturday night is pizza night at my house.  We started making pizza on the weekends a few months ago and we haven't stopped since. We're fortunate to have some deliciously fabulous pizzerias near our house but none of them deliver so that's no good. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT, HARRY? YOU TOO, BARB.   Obviously, I have strong feelings about this. I love Harry's pizza and Barb's pizza but, quite frankly, I am too lazy and cheap to drive across town to pick up a pizza that's going to cost me north of $20 if I get all of my favorite toppings. For that price, I want that baby delivered to my doorstep. Or, for less than that price, I can make a couple of pizzas at home. It's not the same but it's still damn tasty.

Last weekend, we made some whole wheat pizza dough because I had a lot of whole wheat flour leftover from an afternoon of bread making last fall.  I followed Wolfgang Puck's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipe.  Skeptics, listen up - whole wheat pizza dough is really quite tasty.  Once you get used to the nutty flavor of a whole wheat crust, regular pizza dough comes across a bit lacking in flavor.  If you don't like whole wheat then by all means sub in regular dough.  And if you don't feel like making the dough then you can pick up some premade dough at the grocery store or the local pizzaria.  Most pizzarias will sell you a pound or two of fresh dough if you call in advance.

Only four more days until Saturday!!

CHICKEN SAUSAGE, ONION & BROCCOLI RABE PIZZA with a WHOLE WHEAT CRUST

one recipe whole wheat pizza dough (enough to make two 12" crusts)
8 ounce can plain tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 links chicken sausage (each about the length of a finger), cooked completely and crumbled
1 1/2 cups cooked and chopped broccoli rabe
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 cups shredded cheese, any combination of mozzarrella, provolone and parmesan

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes until the garlic is very fragrant.  Add the tomato sauce, oregano, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt.  Simmer gently for 20 minutes.  Cool completely.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Split the dough in half.  Use each half to make a 12 inch crust.  I use a circular cookie sheet but maybe you are lucky and have a real pizza stone. If you only have a rectangular baking sheet then use that.   (Tip: dust each pan with a bit of fine cornmeal to prevent the dough from sticking.)

Spread half of the tomato sauce over each crust.  Spread half of the cheese over each crust.  Top with the chicken sausage, broccoli rabe and onion.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Switch the positions of the baking sheets.  Bake for another 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Makes two pizzas. Serves 6.

Roasted Garlic Potato Crisps

Here's the last hors d'oeuvre from our Christmas dinner, which now feels like it was so long ago... After posting my recipe for Oven Crispy Potatoes, I realized that the recipe could be tweaked a bit to create thinner, crispier potato slices that would be the perfect vehicle for a smooth, creamy, flavorful bite of roasted garlic. These turned out really well so I'm considering making another variation for my next dinner party, maybe with a bruschetta topping or a sweet and spicy chutney. Or maybe just a big dollop of Bacon Jam. Yeah, I think I'm gonna go with the Bacon Jam next time because I've been dreaming about it ever since I ate the last spoonful left over from Christmas.

ROASTED GARLIC POTATO CRISPS
printer friendly recipe

24 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large russet potatoes, about the same size
1/2 cup very cold heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
1 teaspoon Hawaiian black salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the garlic cloves on a large sheet of tin foil, about a foot long. Drizzle with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Fold up the edges of the foil around the garlic to make a small pouch. Make sure that the edges are tightly sealed. Stick the pouch in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Do not open! (You can do this step a day or two in advance. Put the pouch in the fridge until you're ready to make the potato slices.)

Turn up the oven to 500 degrees.

Peel the potatoes.

Use a mandoline or a extremely sharp knife and a very steady hand to slice the potatoes lengthwise into very thin ovals, about 1/8 inch thick.

Let the potato slices hang out on a clean dish towel for a few minutes to absorb any moisture.

Toss the potato slices with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil.

Spread the slices out onto two baking sheets so that none of the slices overlap.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Take a peek and see if the potatoes are crisping up and turning deep golden brown on the edges. If they're not quite there yet then let them cook for another 3-5 minutes. Switch the positions of the baking sheets if necessary to ensure even cooking. Take another peek. They should be done but if not then cook for another 3-5 minutes. These can go from perfectly golden brown to a hot burnt mess really fast so be vigilant.

Carefully remove the slices with a spatula and place on a wire baking rack to cool. They'll crisp up quite a bit after they cool so don't be worried if a few seem to be a little soft.

Whip the heavy cream with the cream of tarter until the cream becomes very thick and stiff. Add the kosher salt and half of the chives. Mix thoroughly.

To assemble, place a small dollop of the chive cream on top of each potato slice. (You'll have extra potato slices so pick the prettiest ones.) Place a roasted garlic clove on top of the chive cream. Garnish with the remaining chives and black salt.

Makes about 24. Serves 12 as an appetizer.

Polenta Crackers with Bacon Jam

Here's round two of our 2009 Christmas dinner redux: an hors d'oeuvre featuring BACON jam! Mmmm. This is another good recipe for those of you who like to cook the day before the big event. I served the bacon jam with polenta crackers but, of course, you can spread the jam on any kind of bread or cracker that you prefer, like a crusty baguette or crispy melba toast. I used premade polenta to make the crackers but if you feel compelled to make the polenta from scratch then go right ahead and do that. I think the premade polenta tastes really good but homemade is always better.

The luscious mouthfeel of the bacon jam along with the toasty, almost nutty flavor of the polenta really complimented the Creamy Pumpkin Sage soup that was served alongside. Of all the dishes I prepared, these were the most popular. People gobbled them up as fast as I could plate them. But I figured that would happen, because, you know, BACON.

Polenta Crackers with Bacon Jam
printer friendly recipe

For the Bacon Jam
(adapted liberally and lovingly from Not Quite Nigella)

20 ounces high quality thick cut smoked bacon
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced thinly
4 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons Tabasco
1 1/4 cups strong coffee
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
1 rounded teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Use a heavy bottom pan with high sides. Fry the bacon over medium high heat until crisp on the edges but still chewy in the middle.

Remove bacon from pan and cut into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.

Fry the onion and garlic in the bacon fat over medium heat until soft and beginning to caramelize.

Add the bacon back to the pan, along with the sugar, Tabasco, coffee and maple syrup.

Simmer uncovered for two hours.

Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

Pulse in a food processor or blender until it reaches a wet, jammy consistency.

Put back into pan. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Skim off the fat that has accumulated on the surface of the pot.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly.

Place back over medium heat and simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated, about half an hour. If the jam looks too dry while cooking, then add a little water (or coffee...or beer).

Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the Polenta Crackers

24 ounce tube of prepared polenta (this is what it looks like)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the polenta into 1/4 inch thick rounds.

Place on two baking sheets in a single layer.

Brush tops with olive oil. Turn over and brush other side.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes. 

Switch position of baking sheets and bake for another 15 minutes.

Cool completely on wire racks.

Makes 20-24 crackers, depending on how thinly you can slice the polenta.



To serve, place a rounded teaspoonful of bacon jam in the center of each cracker.  Garnish with snipped chives, scallions or chopped parsley.

Creamy Pumpkin Sage Soup

My goal for last week's Christmas dinner was to prepare a formal, multicourse meal for a dozen people for under $100.  As luck would have it, I lost the grocery receipt.  Actually, I know where it went ... into the garbage can and hauled away by the trashman before I had a chance to retrieve it. Oops. But I'm pretty sure I stayed within the $100 budget. I'll do some research and try to tally up what the food purchases probably cost and report back to you. In the meantime, I'll post all the recipes from our dinner over the next couple of weeks, starting right now with some yummy pumpkin soup, which was passed in large shot glasses to our guests as they sipped wine and opened presents in front of the roaring fireplace.  But first, here's a quick rundown of our Christmas feast.

Hors d'oeuvres:    Creamy Pumpkin Sage Soup 
                          Polenta Crackers with Bacon Jam
                          Potato Crisps with Roasted Garlic & Chive Cream

First Course:       Green Salad with Honey Roasted Pears & Cranberry Vinaigrette

Palate Cleanser:  Grapefruit Granita

Entree:              Roasted Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach & Leeks
                         White Wine & Dijon Sauce

Sides:               Pearl Couscous with Saffron, Orange Zest & Scallions
                        White Balsamic & Thyme Glazed Baby Carrots & Pearl Onions
                        Artichoke Hearts Au Gratin

Dessert:            Chocolate Mousse on Meringue Clouds with Peppermint Sauce

We started our eating marathon with a velvety pumpkin soup, which I adore because it not only includes pumpkin, a personal favorite, but because you can make the soup ahead of time and reheat it the day of serving. If you decide to cook the soup ahead of time, leave out the cream and milk until you're almost ready to serve. Add those two ingredients an hour or so before serving and heat through gently until the soup is quite warm but not boiling.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SAGE SOUP
printer friendly recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
15 ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
big pinch of nutmeg
salt to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk

Melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic. Saute until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add pumpkin.

Whisk in broth. 

Add sage, pepper and nutmeg.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Slowly whisk in cream, then 1/2 cup of milk.  If the soup is still too thick, add more milk.

Add salt to taste.

Puree with a hand blender.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for another 20 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 12 as a small appetizer.    

HAPPY NEW YEAR & HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO REVEL & FEAST!!!

Happy New Year! Did you party it up til dawn last night? We were stay at home couch bums with the kids, watching movies and eating brownies. Close to midnight, we tuned in to watch Dick Clark's legendary annual countdown for the ball drop in Times Square. Mr. Clark looks and sounds awfully old these days but it was great to hear him usher in the New Year, just like every other new year in my life. I hope he's around for next year! Hang in there, Mr. Clark! New Year's wouldn't be the same without you. By the way, what the hell was Jennifer Lopez wearing? What was that? To my untrained eye, it appeared to be a bedazzled flesh colored unitard with a cape made of furry feathers. Whatever it was it was fugly, especially when she shed the furry feather cape thingamadoo and started writhing/crawling across the stage and whipping her hair around like she was being electrocuted. I would have been afraid if I hadn't been cracking up. I wanted to shield the eyes of my impressionable young children. My son Jakob, who is 10, turned to me and said, "What is that? It's weird. Hey! Is she naked?" Here, take a look for yourself. Be alternately amused and horrified.



To be fair, La Lopez's hair was very pretty and bouncy. And girlfriend didn't fall down even once in those stilt-like boots, which I suspect were the very Louboutins of which she sang. Credit should be given where credit is due. So, Jen/J.Lo/Jenny from the Block/Whatsyourname, I applaud you for looking great from the neck up and for not falling on your butt.

ANYHOO.....

Guess what? Revel & Feast turns one year old today! As I look back on the 525,600 minutes of 2009, I'm really amazed to see how my little idea to share some of my recipes with a couple of friends turned into something way cooler than I ever imagined. Revel & Feast has been visited by thousands of people in at least sixteen countries spanning five continents. Thank you, thank you, thank you to my most faithful readers (hi Family!), to my fellow food blogger readers (hi Lorraine!), to my old college friends who also turned their culinary passions into great sites (hi Liz! hi Annemarie! hi Dena!), and most especially, to you. What surprised me most of all is that people actually try my recipes and seem to like them! That's more than I expected and I hope it continues into 2010 and beyond! Thanks, everyone!

PS: Over the next week or two, I'll post recipes and pics from the wonderful Christmas dinner that I shared with my family. And, maybe a restaurant review or two. Stay tuned!