16 May 2010

pizza of the week: baby fennel, asparagus pesto & interesting spices

pizza with baby fennel, asparagus pesto & interesting spices

Fennel is amazing to me. Witnessing thin, wispy seeds turn into crispy, round, juicy bulbs has been one of my favorite things in the garden this season. When I'm out there watering or just puttering, I always peek under the feathery fronds to make sure all is well in the fennel row. They're such perfect little packages of flavor. 

In fact, I cherish those crunchy little guys so much that I took some time to figure out how to use the first baby bulbs. Fennel risotto? Braised? Grilled? Pizza? Yes, a good starting point for the first fennel bulb. I needed to thin some out so that the others could size up. A pizza is a good use of a tiny ingredient.

And, "interesting spices?" Remember how I picked up some spices at Penzey's in NYC in February? One of them is Charnushka, or nigella sativa (or "black cumin") -- which I'm currently growing out back (still a baby plant). The other is the strongly camphorous-smelling Kala Jeera, which seemed so overpowering at first that I wasn't sure how to use it. On pizza, however, after some super high heat roasting, it mellowed nicely. Together, the two spices simply lent an exotic, warm note that worked really well with the asparagus pesto from the last post.

fennel diptych

===========================
PIZZA:
Baby Fennel, Asparagus Pesto & Interesting Spices

basic pizza recipe + asparagus pesto + cheese: 1/2 grated mozz, 1/2 grated gruyere + thinly sliced baby fennel + kala jeera + nigella sativa + olive oil & salt on the crust. Bake until pretty + garnish with grated parmesan + fennel fronds. Serve with lemon wedge.

===========================

pizza with baby fennel, asparagus pesto & interesting spices

5 comments:

  1. That looks so good! I love fennel. Mine isn't quite ready to harvest yet though. Never heard of Kala Jeera though...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi there,I enjoy reading through your article post, I wanted to write a little comment to support you and wish you a good continuationAll the best for all your blogging efforts.
    Regard:

    rak tv jati

    ReplyDelete
  3. Why settle for a basic baby crib when you can get a crib that's decked out with all of today's modern conveniences. These baby cribs are truly amazing and offer features that make life much easier for parents! baby crib

    ReplyDelete
  4. Choosing a baby name can be one of the most fun and challenging aspects of having a new baby. Take your time and do some Prams U.K. you'll be glad you did - so will your child.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Simply stated, Baby Wearing is the act of carrying or holding your baby or child close to your body using a soft structured baby carrier or fabric sling. Using a baby carrier makes it much easier for parents to carry and hold their baby while doing simple everyday tasks. The practice of baby baby safety is centuries old, and today's baby carrier designs have evolved from the historic designs from the past.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails