Caramelized Beet & Onion Pizza

When my husband goes to the grocery store for me I never really know what he's going to come home with. Even if I send a specific list, there is at least one item that I hadn't asked for.  Many times it's a great treat, like the other night when he came home with some Lorna Doone cookies because he remembered that I said  I wanted a shortbread cookie.  One time he bought xanthum gum.  Does anyone even know what xanthum gum is?  I don't.

Last week he went to pick up some ingredients for strawberry ice cream {I would have posted about that but there isn't enough left to take a picture.  We'll have to make it again, I suppose}, and lo and behold he came back with a bunch of beets.  Beets?  I haven't eaten a beet since I was a little girl and my mom forced me to try one that my grandfather had grown in his garden.  I hated it and have avoided them ever since.  My face must have shown my disgust at this purchase, especially when he told me that I was to make a beet pizza out of them.

Who eats beets on pizza? 

Apparently people in Jackson Hole, Wyoming do, because that's where my husband tasted this creation while on a skiing trip in 2012, and he clearly never forgot about it.

I apologized for my irritated response, he apologized for assuming I would make a beet pizza, and then I researched how to go about cooking beets.  Most recipes I read said to roast them, but I didn't want to take the time to do that.  Caramelizing sounded like a good plan.  I don't even know if this is allowed in the culinary realm, but I did it.  And they turned out.  And I liked them.

Caramelized Beet & Onion Pizza

2 beets, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons butter

Garlic Butter:
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 uncooked pizza crust {one of my favorite recipes is here}
1 cup mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet, melt 2 1/2 tablespoons butter.  Add sliced beets and cook until tender, and slightly browned.  Remove from skillet.  Melt remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter. Add onions and cook following this method for caramelizing onions. 

Make garlic butter by melting the 2 tablespoons butter with minced garlic.

Spread garlic butter on uncooked pizza crust.  Top with caramelized onions.  Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.  Place beets on top of cheese and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.

Pesto & Grilled Chicken Pizza

My basil started taking over the window box herb garden, so I decided to put it to good use and make some pesto.  Did you know that you can make pesto with nuts other than pine nuts?   I don't remember where I read this, but somewhere in my culinary research I stumbled upon this remarkable fact.  I used almonds as a substitute, but you can also use walnuts or pecans.

Here's the recipe for the pesto:

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor combine the basil, almonds, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper until finely chopped.

I put the garlic clove in whole and it chopped up quite well.

With the processor still running, gradually add the oil until the pesto is smooth and thick.

It will look something like this.

 Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese.  Season with more salt, if needed.   (Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days). This recipe makes about 1 cup.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Italian, by Giada De Laurentis




For the Pizza:
Roll out one unbaked pizza dough disc.  Spread desired amount of pesto on top (I used about 1/2 cup).

Place sliced grilled chicken, from 1 grilled chicken breast, evenly over pesto.  Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 450F oven for 15-18 minutes, until cheese is brown and crust is cooked.