Pizza

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough by putting all dough ingredients in the order given into the bread machine and put on the dough cycle (8 for my machine). This takes approximately 1.5 hours. I usually check after about 10 minutes, during the mixing stage, to make sure the dough is a good consistency. You may need to add more flour/water if it is too wet/dry. When dough is finished, you can let it sit in the bread machine until you are ready to use it, and then cut the dough in half or thirds depending on how many pizzas.
2. Prepare the sauce by combining all ingrediets in a bowl. It’s best to let this sit for a while to let the flavours mingle.
3. Prepare the cheeses in advance so that they can dry before using if using fresh mozzarella
4. Prepare the vegetables in advance so that they can dry before using , otherwise they make the crust soggy. For the wet vegetables like bell peppers, courgette, and eggplant, I microwave for 2 minutes and let them air dry. For the spinach I microwave for about 4 minutes and squeeze out the water when it is cool. If using fresh mozzarella, drain and chop it so that it can dry before using.
5. Preheat the oven to 230°F / 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. If using pizza stones, place them in the oven at the same time to pre-heat.
6. On a floured surface, use your hands to shape the dough until it is dough is the desired shape and thickness. Keep adding flour as needed to the surface so the dough won’t stick.
7. Dust a pizza pan with corn meal or rub olive oil in pans. If using a peel, assemble the pizza right on the peel dusted with corn meal. Then use the peel to place the pizza on a pre-heated pizza stone.
8. Use a spatula and slide the dough onto the pizza pan. Don’t worry if it looses it shape a little, you can press it back in the pan. If the pizza is “sticky” and won’t slide easily onto the pans, use some dental floss to slide under the dough. You can also use a rolling pin. You can let the pizza dough rest in the pan for a little while before adding sauce and toppings.
9. Brush the the crust lightly with olive oil so it does not absorb the water in the sauce and toppings and because olive oil heats faster and make the toppings cook faster.
10. Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place the toppings on the pizza in the order given.
11. Bake for 30 minutes. If a lot of excess water is coming from the vegetables after about 10 minutes, blot it with paper towel.

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Avocado Salsa

• 4 fish steaks (halibut, swordfish or tuna)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tomato, peeled and diced
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded, de-ribbed, minced or Tabasco sauce (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• lime wedges

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil mayonnaise , cilantro, garlic, lime juice, tomato, avocado, chile, salt, and pepper.
2. Spread olive oil on fish to evenly coat. Over medium-hot coals, grill fish 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily in center. Spoon avocado salsa over hot fish. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.

Grilled Tuna Steaks marinated in Soy and Sherry sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 salmon or tuna steaks, good quality, about 1-inch thick
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup cooking sherry
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon concentrated
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot (alles binder)
• 1-2 teaspoons wasabi (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

PREPARATION:

Arrange fish in a shallow, non-reactive dish. Whisk together marinade ingredients in a small bowl; pour over steaks. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, turning frequently. Place fish on a well-greased grill or grilling basket and grill over medium coals for about 3 to 4 minutes, basting frequently with marinade.

Turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until fish is nicely grilled on the outside but still pink or somewhat translucent in the center.

Serves 4.

Roasted Chicken with garlic, lemon and rosemary

The trick to this recipe is brining it overnight. It really keeps it moist.

Ingredients

1 (1 kilo / 2 pounds) whole roasting chicken

5-6 garlic cloves

2 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

2-3 sprigs of rosemary

1 onion cut into 1 centimeter (1/2 inch) thick slices (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the brine by combining garlic, water, salt, pepper, olive oil and the juice from the lemon wedges (save them) into a blender and blend a for about 1 minute. I like to throw in a few rosemary leaves at the end and blend for a few seconds.
2. Put the already squeezed lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs inside the cavity of the chicken.
3. Put the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag, or in a non-reactive bowl. Pour the brine inside the cavity and all over the chicken in the bag, or in the bowl. Squeeze out all the air from the bag and seal, or put a cover over the bowl. Refrigerate overnight breast side down – 12 to 24 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C /375°F. Remove the chicken from the brine. Place the onion slices in the bottom of a a roasting pan or on a rack if not using onion slices, breast side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken.
5. Roast for about an hour, basting with the juices occasionaly, until the juices run clear from the thigh when pierced with a fork. Breast meat should have an internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F, thigh meat should have an internal temperature of 80° C / 175° F.
6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving, and don’t forget to take the lemon wedges out.

Turkey Brine