Monday, November 3, 2008

Pizza with Curried Greens and Onions

This might sound like an odd combination, but it works surprisingly well and it's another good use for cool weather greens. You let the onion caramelize a bit to bring out its sweetness, and fennel seeds add an intriguing note to the curry. A whole wheat crust is ideal for this pizza.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, in long, thin slices
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp fennel seeds (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Dash nutmeg
Dash turmeric
½ tsp garam masala (optional)
5-6 cups chopped fresh chard, spinach, or kale
¼ - ½ cup chopped cilantro (fresh or frozen, optional in a pinch)
¾ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
¾ cup tomato sauce, or sliced fresh tomatoes
1 14-inch pizza crust, preferably whole wheat
4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450˚.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until it begins to caramelize and turn brown, about 6-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and sauté another minute. Add the fennel seeds (if using), cumin, coriander, nutmeg, turmeric, and garam masala (if using), and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the greens and continue to sauté until they are well wilted and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper and stir well.

Spread the tomato sauce over the pizza crust. Cover the sauce with the greens mixture, then top with cheese.

Bake 15-18 min, until cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

No comments: