Pizza With Ny Strip Blue Cheese And Balsamic Glaze Food

PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, FIGS, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• At least 45 minutes before cooking, preheat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to wilt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and turn a deep, golden brown, about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and transfer the onions to a small bowl.
• Place the bacon in the pan and set over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl.
• Place the pizza dough on a heavily floured surface and stretch and pull, using your hands or a rolling pin, into about a 14-inch round. Place on a lightly floured pizza peel or rimless baking sheet. Cover with the toppings, careful not to press on the dough and weigh it down: the caramelized onions first, then the figs and bacon, and finally the Gorgonzola, leaving roughly a 1/2 inch border. Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick, forward-and-back motion. Cook until the crust has browned on the bottom and the top is bubbling and browning in spots, about 7 minutes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and some cracked black pepper. Serve hot. Makes 1 pizza.

PIZZA WITH NY STRIP, BLUE CHEESE AND BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• FOR THE GLAZE:.
• Bring vinegar to a boil in a small nonreactive saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the honey and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• FOR THE STEAK:.
• Heat grill to high. Brush steak on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill to a cutting board, tent lightly with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• FOR THE PIZZA:.
• Heat the grill to high.
• Brush both sides of the pizza with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, divide the Monterey Jack cheese over the top of each one and then sprinkle with the blue cheese. Place back on the grill, close the cover of the grill and grill until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Remove to a flat surface, divide the steak between each pizza, then top with the watercress. Drizzle with some of the Balsamic Glaze and sprinkle with some of the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Continually whisk balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a stainless-steel pot over medium heat. When mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat enough to maintain a low simmer. Reduce to about half to thicken to a light syrup. Inexpensive brands may require additional reduction to thicken.
• When removed from heat, mixture is still very hot. Please be careful and prevent touching or splashing. Cool some of the mixture and test for sweetness, adding some additional brown sugar or up to a tablespoon of honey to taste.
• Remove from heat. Be careful not to over thicken. Glaze will thicken further as it cools.
• Options, although this basic glaze recipe is delicious on its own, you can add other flavors such as 1-tablespoon honey, fig extract or strained fig preserves, pomegranate reduction, pure cherry syrup, fruit liquor. Honey or syrups can also be added after pan is removed from heat.
• I refrigerate balsamic glaze. Shelf life has not been tested.