The Bahrain Challenge

I'm happy to report that AngelFood has been so busy that it seems I've had a hard time lifting myself out of the steamy kitchen to catch up with the world. But the world keeps on turning!

While I was cooking, I received a message from my younger sister, Audrey, a surgeon in the Navy who is currently waiting in the Kingdom of Bahrain for another ship to pick her up. It's not that she makes a habit out of hanging out in foreign countries, hoping to hop aboard a floating vessel. She was actually fulfilling time aboard the USS Elrod in the Gulf of Aden.

In the photo, right, Audrey is on the far right, armed with pan spray. This crew is baking cookies for 360 sailors from the recipes we sent them.

Her message said: Hey I have an AFPCS (AngelFood PCS) challenge for you. We are in Bahrain and we are trying to cook/eat on the local economy. The good news is that the foodstuffs here are GREAT. The bad news is that all we have to cook with is a gas grill and a microwave. Any meal suggestions? We've already done burgers, baked potatoes, fajitas and chicken.

She knows how I love a challenge. I wish she could get her hands on a crock pot. Then she'd really be in business. But for now, AngelFood is going to answer the call! The first dish I thought of was pizza. Here's a recipe from the book Grilling written by CIA (that's my alma mater, The Culinary Institute of America, not the government agency).

They recommend grilling the onions for the pizza before you begin. You can use uncooked sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla. The tomato sauce you use should not be too watery.

Grilled Pizza

Makes 1 to 8 servings (we like pizza)

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semolina flour, plus extra for dusting

1 Tbsp. salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

2 cups grated mozzarella

1/4 cup diced sauteed onions

2 Tbsp. basil chiffonade

Combine the yeast and water in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Let the mixture sit until a thick foam forms.

Add the flours and salt to the yeast and stir by hand, or mix on medium speed in an electric mixer using the dough hook attachment, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a second bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Gently fold the dough over and allow it to rise for another 45 minutes.

Preheat a gas grill to high. If you are using a charcoal grill, build a fire and let it burn down until the coals are glowing red with a moderate coating of white ash. Spread the coals in an even bed. Clean the cooking grate.

Roll or stretch the dough into a 12-inch round. Lightly dust a 12-inch pizza pan with semolina flour and lay the dough round on top. Brush some of the olive oil over the entire dough round.

Lift the dough from the pan and place the pizza dough directly on the grill with the oiled side face-down. Brush the dough with the remaining olive oil. Grill the pizza until the dough is maked and puffs up slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pizza over and spread the sauce evenly over the round, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the outside edges. Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the sauce and top with the onions. Close the lid on the grill. Cook the pizza until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is slightly brown and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Remove the pizza from the grill and sprinkle the basil chiffonade on top. Cut the pizza into 8 slices and serve immediately.

Just a couple of notes: Audrey can get pizza in a cone at the movies in Bahrain. It's called Kono Pizza and is from a licensed Italian Franchise. She says it's baked perfectly and is delicious. I hope she's not tired of pizza.

AngelFood recently catered a party at the Musconetcong Watershed Association and got to talking with our friend, Assemblyman John DiMaio about grilling pizza. (That's him on the left, enjoying an Antipasta Brochette) He's been making grilled pizza a lot this summer. His advice to Audrey? "Tell your sister to make sure the grill top is closed and the grill is turned on high. You want to get the temperature up to about 400 degrees. I use a pizza stone and it turns out great. You just gotta make sure the grill is good and hot."

Sometimes, at home, for a quick, tasty, thick pizza sauce, I use a can of tomato paste, seasoned and slightly thinned with water. I like the sweetness of the paste and the thickness can be adjusted to taste.

What do you think Audrey should be making with her microwave and grill? More ideas and recipes to come!