23 June 2010

pizza of the week: padrón peppers, baby artichokes & green garlic

pizza: padron peppers & baby artichokes

The other day, I left my desk and headed out to the Tuesday Ferry Building farmers market. This is the smaller weekday affair, rather than the famous Saturday extravaganza. It does in a pinch, though--both for food and for walking the office off yourself. Me, I was looking for spice.

I had just pulled a huge batch of carrots out of the garden and was planning to pickle them. I like my carrots really spicy, so I thought maybe I could scare up some early jalapeños or serranos from a valley farmer -- I know they're not quite in season yet, but I had hope. I love spicy pickled carrots.

pizza: padron peppers & baby artichokes


No dice. I scanned for anything pepper-ish and ended up spying a small basket of Padrón peppers from Happy Quail Farms, down in East Palo Alto. Some very nice, very young guys explained to me that, yes, it's too early for the hot peppers, but the mild Padrónes were excellent fried and salted. OK, sold. Kind of irrelevant to my carrots, but they were very nice, very helpful... and really? A farm in East Palo Alto?

Anyway, I fried up some peppers as a snack -- YUM -- and some others went on a pizza, my ingredient vehicle of choice. We had a batch of Mark Bittman's asparagus pesto on hand, some adorable baby artichokes and green garlic. Super Spring pizza.


pizza: padron peppers & baby artichokes

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Padrón Pepper, Baby Artichoke & Green Garlic Pizza

basic pizza recipe + asparagus pesto + mozzarella & fontina cheeses + par-roasted baby artichokes, sliced padrón peppers. bake. garnish with red pepper flakes and lemon squeeze.
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pizza: padron peppers & baby artichokes

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