Grilled Pizza with Chorizo and Roasted Poblano

Pizza is a favorite of many.  I like grilled pizza because it is so easy and you don’t have to heat up your oven to make it.  I find it makes for a lighter pizza that makes you feel less guilty as you cannot put a ton of toppings.  The trick to an excellent grilled pizza is a hot grill or my favorite – cast iron indoor grill – and preparing the ingredients ahead of time.  Since these cook up in just a few minutes most of the effort is in the preparation so you can go wild.  These pizza toppings can be used for a lot of things so make some up ahead to keep on hand! 

Here I found some chorizo slices in the deli area at my grocery store.  It’s ready to eat, but I like to cook it up in a pan first to render out most of the fat and get it nice and crispy!  In this I have included my method for caramelized onion, roasted poblano peppers, and my recipe for chipotle tomato sauce.  A FOUR-IN-ONE recipe!  The possibilities are endless but let me tell you, this combination makes an amazing pizza!

Caramelized Onions

• Onions (cut in half and slice into half rings)
• Kosher Salt (about a ½ teaspoon per medium onion)
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Water (just keep glass handy)

Method: heat the oil in a sauté pan (large enough for the amount of onions you have) over medium-high heat; don’t worry if it is full because they will cook down.  Add the onions and salt.

Once the onions start to brown a little on the edges give the pan a splash of water (about ¼ Cup at a time for a medium skillet.  The water helps to cook the onions while preventing them from over-browning. 

Let the water cook out completely.  Just repeat the process until the onions are a nice deep brown.  The whole process takes maybe about 15 minutes from start to finish.  I like this method because cooking over a higher temperature allows faster cooking time and using water prevents burning your onions. 

These are great for pizza, sandwiches, in a sauce for meats, etc.

Chipotle Tomato Sauce

• 2 Cups Tomato Puree (or 1-15 ounce can)
• 1 Chipotle Pepper (in Adobo)
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ Small Onion, diced
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon Dried Marjoram
• ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (or to taste)

Method:  add the tomato puree and chipotle pepper in a blender and blitz until combined.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium pan (I find a sauté pan sufficient) add the onion, garlic, marjoram, and thyme; sauté until the onions are soft.

Add the tomato sauce mixture and salt; bring to a bubble and turn down to medium-low; cook for about 5 – 10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.  Check flavor and add salt as needed at this point.  NOTE: if you want it a little less spicy remove the seeds from the chipotle and/or used more tomato sauce!

Roasted Peppers

• 1 Poblano Pepper (sometimes called Pasilla Peppers)

Method:  this works for any peppers.  I have even tried it with jalapeño peppers.  The key is to get the peppers nice and charred BLACK! 

Over a fire directly on a gas burner lay the pepper and let it get nice and charred all around; be sure to rotate the pepper as it chars.  If you are doing this under a broiler, same thing…just get it nice and charred all around.

Once it is nice and black all around put it directly into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, a lid, whatever you have; let it sit for a few minutes.  The idea is the peppers steam in the bowl and skins wipe right off. 

Take the pepper(s) out of the bowl and wipe most of the skins off and remove the seeds; chop the peppers up to sprinkle on the pizza. 

I would suggest making a few and keep them on hand.  I love these in eggs, in salads, mixed with veggies for dinner, etc.  This method works great with any kind of pepper so knock your self out!

Grilled Pizza with Chorizo and Roasted Poblanos

• Pizza Dough (whatever kind you like…I used the one in the can for this)
• 1 Cup Chipotle Tomato Sauce
• 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
• ¼ Cup Caramelized Onions
• ½ Cup Roasted Poblano Peppers
• 12 slices Chorizo (ready-to-eat)

Heat a grill or cast iron indoor grill to medium-high

First: cut the pizza dough into quarters; roll and/or stretch the dough to desired thickness (I don’t like it too thin or too thick) and place on a lightly oiled, hot grill

Second: once the dough starts getting charred grilled lines flip it over; immediately put ¼ cup of the sauce on each, ¼ cup mozzarella, ¼ of the onions, ¼ of the poblano peppers, and 3 slices of chorizo.

Third: once the cheese is just about melted (you can tent it briefly with foil but I find it unnecessary) and the bottom is getting nice and dark-ish remove and set on a cutting surface. 

 

Finally: after the pizza has cooled slightly, serve a whole one per person or cut it in half and serve with a salad.  ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!

I am telling you this is an amazing combination and has the meat, cheese, and veggies all in one!  It looks like a lot but you are actually getting four separate recipes/methods in which the sky is the limit.  Feel free to use your favorite pizza sauce and toppings, but the method is the key to an excellent pizza!

BONUS TIP:  If you have a cast iron indoor grill at home you may realize it is a pain to clean.  I saw online that people were suggesting using kosher salt.  I had a box of COARSE sea salt from the dollar store in my cupboard and decided to give it a try. 

I sprinkled the salt over the pan and used a dry brush to scrub a little and it cleaned it off AMAZINGLY well.  There was cheese and sauce cooked onto the pan and it came up with little effort.  I had one or two spots I needed to scrape with the edge of the brush but the salt soaked up the grease and helped to scrub the bits off the pan! 

If you don’t have an indoor cast iron grill – get one!  I looooooove it and use it a lot!