Pear Pan Naan with Garlic White Sauce

 

Many years ago, my bestie introduced me to a little hole in the wall pizza joint in Highlands, NC. She encouraged me to try this amazing Pear and Chicken White Pizza and of course I did....it blew my mind! How bizzare to add Pears to a Pizza but, WOW! It's a substance that should not be taken for granted. It continues to be my all time favorite Pizza! Later, when I married I happily introduced my hubby to it too. It was love!!! When I hear about friends visiting Highlands, NC I always put them on this Pizza place and make them agree to ordering this pizza. 

Sometimes I have a craving for this pizza  so I turned it on its head and reinvented my own pear pizza. I've played around with different pizza doughs like grilled flat crust, cast iron oven cooked dough, flat bread and naan. I actually love them all so use what you have on hand!! Naan was a great crust because it gets toasted on the bottom soft in the middle and doesn't get soggy with the sauce and toppings. 

In a saucepan, melt butter over med heat. Add garlic and whisk until fragrant. Add salt, pepper, oregano and flour and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add 1 cup of milk while whisking. Cook until sauce thickens whisking occasionally. Turn off heat and add parmesan. 

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place 6 small naans on a cookie sheet. Top with 1/4 cup of Garlic White Sauce per naan. 

On top of sauce layer Mozzarella, crumble 1/2 piece of cooked bacon (omit for vegeterian,) sliced pears, pecans, red onion rings and gouda. 

Cook for 5 min and remove from oven. With a spatula lift a corner on one naan and see if it's toasted. If it's not return and check every 2 minutes. Once bottom is toasted turn oven on broil and place cookie sheet under broiler for 2 mintues or until the top is charred to your liking. 

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

2 TBS butter

3 garlic cloves

2 TBS All Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup milk

1/2 cup parmesan 

In a saucepan, melt butter over med heat. Add garlic and whisk until fragrant. Add salt, pepper, oregano and flour and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add 1 cup of milk while whisking. Cook until sauce thickens whisking occasionally. Turn off heat and add parmesan. 

PIZZA:

6 small naans

1.5 cups Garlic White Sauce

3 cups mozzarella 

3 cooked bacon slices (omit for 
   vegeterian

3 pears, sliced

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup red onion rings

1.5 cups Gouda

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place 6 small naans on a cookie sheet. Top with 1/4 cup of Garlic White Sauce per naan. On top of sauce layer Mozzarella, crumble 1/2 piece of cooked bacon (omit for vegeterian,) sliced pears, pecans, red onion rings and gouda. Repeat on the other 5 Naans. Place cookie sheet in oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and with a spatula lift a corner on one naan and see if it's toasted. If it's not return and check every 2 minutes. Once bottom is toasted turn oven on broil and place cookie sheet under broiler for 2 mintues or until the top is charred to your liking. 

Rosemary Orange Thyme Salt

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Kosher Salt

3 TBS fresh rosemary, fine chop

2 TBS fresh thyme, fine chop

Zest from 6 oranges

Juice from 2 oranges

Preheat oven to 220 degrees F.  In a bowl add salt, rosemary, thyme, zest from 6 oranges, and juice from 2 oranges. Mix to incorporate. Pour mixture onto a baking sheet and add to oven. Bake for 15 minutes and remove to stir mixture around. Add back to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and stir. Repeat process until salt is dried. Add to airtight container and store. 

Here are some ideas on how to use the salt. Enjoy!!

Traditional New Orleans Hurricanes

 

First, let me apologize. I don't have proper Hurricane glasses. Well, I have one but I wanted to be all matchy matchy with the others. 😜 We are celebrating Fat Tuesday with traditional New Orleans Hurricanes. Celebrate virtually with us by making your own too! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz light rum

2 oz dark rum

2 oz Passion Fruit Juice

2 oz Orange Juice

1 TBS Grenandine

1/2 oz lime juice

Ice

Garnish with orange slice and cherries.

Add all ingredients to an ice filled shaker and shake. Strain into an ice filled glass and garnish with an orange wedge and cherries! 

Zack's Orange Wood Smoked Old-Fashioned

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp Orange Rum Vanilla Turbinato

3 dashes of Aromatic Bitters

Splash of water

1/2 oz of Dark Morelloe Cherry Juice

2 oz Bourbon

2 ice cubes

1 dried orange ring

Smoke with orange wood tinder

Add infused turbinato to a glass with bitters and a splash of water. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add cherry juice, bourbon, icecubes and stir. 

Optional: with smoke infuser heat orange wood tinder. Hold tube and your hand over glass to blow smoke inside glass and hold smoke in for 1 minute.

Remove hand and float dried orange ring. Serve and enjoy!

Orange Rum Vanilla Turbinado

 

This sugar is so good!!! It's wonderful on cookies, sweet breads, tea, cocktails, and chocolates. It's orange heaven!! It's so fun using but you know what else is fun? Making dried orange rings!!! Not only are they simple to make, they are beautiful and envelope your home in orange aromatics!!! 

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with foil and a little cooking spray. Carefully cut oranges with a Mandolin and lay on cookie sheet. Sprinkle a litter sugar on top. Place in oven and cook for 30 min. Remove from oven, flip oranges over and return to oven. Cook 30 more min and repeat flip process. Add back to oven and cook 30 more min. Now it's time to keep a closer eye on them. Flip and check every 10 min going forward until all liquid is gone. Don't over cook or they will burn and discolor. Enjoy in sugar mixture or use them to decorate baking project....or even make Christmas Garland!!! For that amazing sugar follow the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Cane Sugar Turbinado

Zest from 4 oranges

1 tsp Madagascar Vanilla Powder 

2 tsp juice from orange

2 tsp dark rum

2 dried orange rings

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix all ingredients together except dried orange rings. Pour onto a cookie sheet and cover with wax paper. Cook 1.5-2 hours or until dry. Remove from oven every 15 min to stir and add back to oven. Once dry remove from oven amd let cool. Tear dried orange rings into bits and stir into sugar. Store in airtight container. 

Lauren's Velvet Sauce

 

Adding this sauce to your burger, fries or even steak will be mind blowing! But, there are so many more forces at play. You will have to pour it on and eat it animal style to find out! Oh yes! Every last drip! The smooth velvety texture will be like a magic on your meat! It's just unbelievably good!

LAUREN'S VELVET SAUCE:

1 TBS olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3 TBS tomato paste

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 TBS fresh rosemary 

2 TBS Dijon Mustard

2 TBS Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Worcestershire 

2 TBS Apple Cider

4 TBS Butter

1 TBS Bourbon

1/4 cup prunes

Salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a pot over med heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.   Add the remaining ingredients except salt, stir and cook until it simmers. Taste and add  salt if needed. Turn off heat and cool. Once cool add to blender and puree. Store in fridge. 

Rustic Red Merlot Salt

 

Would you like a little salt with that whine? In this case, YES! Bring on the wine! We will need to two cups, please! 

Preheat oven to 170 degrees F. Reduce 2 cups of Merlot down by simmering over med heat for about 15 minutes leaving about 1 TBS of Syrup. Let it cool and add 1/2 cups of Kosher Salt. Mix to incorporate. Pour mixture to a lined cookie sheet. Also, cover with more parchment and add to oven. Cook for 1 hour or until dry. Check every 15 minutes and stir mixture. Or you can leave in the oven with a pilot light for a couple of days until dry. 

It's wonderful on lamb, chocolate, or red meat!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of Merlot

1 1/2 cups Kosher Salt