GRILLED PIZZA - PERFECT FOR A PICNIC!

Captain for the day!

It was one of those magical days when the stars all started to fall into alignment.

Swimming in the middle of Lake Ontario

 It all started over cocktails at Michelle Joy's. She was having the girls from our pilates class over for a few drinks and a bite to eat, so of course after picking up a bottle of rose, I decided that I would grill up  some caramelized onion and gorgonzola pizzas, with pancetta and fresh basil from the garden. It is a real crowd pleaser and perfect for a party, since it is as good cold as it is hot. And, as always, I made a few extra pizzas, since you just never know!?!

Pizza and margheritas?!

The group included my sister Peggy, Stella, Michelle and her sister Paula, Claire and Kylie.  Stella is a kite boarder, she and her husband actually moved to Wolfe Island for its big winds.  She lives for windy days and is always totally on top of the weather forecast – she was bemoaning the fact that  she was on holidays and that the forecast for the next 2 days was that it was going to be dead calm.  Shortly thereafter,  I received an email from my brother Mark, the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, asking if I wanted to join him and some friends for a boat excursion out to the Main Duck Islands. You have to understand that these beautiful, deserted islands out in the middle of Lake Ontario are surrounded by the most clear, pristine water going. The fishing is epic and the nature is just sublime. (Or so I have heard, never having been there!).   The trouble is, they are in the middle of Ontario’s version of the Bermuda Triangle, where the ship wrecks over the centuries have become legendary –all because of those big winds and waves.  

Blake couldn't resist the draw of the deep clear water!

This is why I was so excited and ready to go:  no wind, no waves and the pizza ready and waiting for a picnic!  Leslie and her friends were eager to join us, so they got the fishing poles ready, the boat filled with gas, and we were off the next morning by 7:15 for our great adventure!!

Our picnic was simple, but delicious – that is the way picnics are supposed to be! A few pizzas, a basket of Ontario peaches, some hummus and carrot sticks, a salami, loaf of freshly baked bread and some mustard. Yummy!

 

Caramelized Onion Pizza with Gorgonzola Cheese and Pancetta

  1             recipe  pizza dough or frozen

                        pizza dough, thawed

  3              large  onions -- roughly chopped

  2              tablespoons  olive oil

  1              cup  crumbled gorgonzola cheese

  5             slices  pancetta -- chopped

 1/4           cup  fresh basil -- chiffonade

                  coarse salt

To caramelize onions: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and add onions.  Cook on medium/low for 30--40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden brown.

Meanwhile, preheat pizza stone by placing in cold barbecue and set to MEDIUM-HIGH, allowing it to heat up for at least 10 minutes. 

Prepare pizza dough by gently kneading and stretching thawed dough into desired shape and placing on a wooden pizza board or rimless baking tray, which has been liberally dusted with corn meal .

Top shaped pizza dough with caramelized onions, gorgonzola cheese and pancetta.  Bake in a preheated 400 F barbecue, with the lid closed, until the cheese is melted and pizzas are crispy and brown, approximately 10-12 minutes.

 Garnish with basil chiffonade and a sprinkle of coarse salt.  

Get Leslie away from her 3 brothers and then we"ll see who catches the fish

Leslie proudly pretends to hold her fish- Thanks Colin!

Grill Fish Chunks Wrapped in Bacon 

A feast or the hungry fishermen!

Leslie caught a beautiful small mouth bass, but she is not a fish lover. Her friend Chris, from Mikes Fish Market, suggested that we prepare it by cutting it into 1 ½ ” chunks and  marinating them in olive oil, lemon juice and Old Bay seasoning for half an hour.  After wrapping the chunks in 1/2 slice of bacon and fastening them with a toothpick, we grilled them on MEDIUM for 4 minutes/side and really enjoyed them.  Try this yourself –you will love it. We served them as an appetizer at dinner when we got home.