Pizza

I think I love making pizza because it's so versatile and I can pretty easily make two or more different pizzas at a go- an adventurous and exotic one for myself and something more classic for Kara. Meanwhile, even the simplest pizza—like a margherita—can be a delicious work of art that makes both of our palettes happy. Leftovers warm up well and any extra toppings can easily be repurposed in salads or omelets, etc. I'm still experimenting to find my favorite dough recipe and cooking method, and tossing and stretching out the dough is an elusive art unto itself I'll probably never master.

Anyway, here are a couple pizzas I made this weekend (grilled this time). The duck pizza is a bit on the exotic side, but I strongly urge anyone interested to try the apple bacon one, even if you just throw the ingredients on a store bought dough or crust. Easy, and such a great balance.

Apple, Bacon, and Gouda (right)

Thin layer of honey and olive oil on the crust, topped with caramelized red onions, thinly sliced Honeycrisp apple, crispy thick cut bacon, Gouda, a little Parmesan, and a sprinkling of fresh sage. Amazing.

Duck, Hoisin, Gouda, Mushrooms, Pineapple, and Scallions (left)

The title says it all. I absolutely love duck, enjoy cooking it, and this Chinese five spice seared duck breast came out perfectly- crispy skin and medium-rare meat. I gave the hoisin sauce a bit of a kick to make it Asian barbecue style.