Cambridge Cooks: Grilled Pizza with Salmon Cambridge Cooks: Grilled Pizza with Salmon

Photos: Debra Pearlman

GRILLED PIZZA with SMOKED SALMON

It's grilling season, so clean-up the grill and try this over the Memorial Day Weekend.

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 lb. pizza dough
¼ cup fresh chives, snipped
½ cup crème fraiche
½ large red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
4 oz. smoked salmon (lox), sliced paper thin
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground pepper
Flour and cornmeal for dusting
Vegetable oil, for grill

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Have the pizza dough covered and ready to roll out or toss. In a small bow, combine the chives and crème fraiche. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the red onion with the olive oil, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set aside.

3. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator, separate the slices, and arrange on a plate ready for topping the pizza. Have the dill in a small bowl ready for garnishing.

4. Heat grill to hot for a charcoal grill or medium high (high on central burner) for a gas grill. Have all your pizza toppings set out next to the grill. Flour a pizza paddle or baking sheet.

5. Flatten the dough on a heavily floured work surface, using a cornmeal and flour mixture to prevent sticking. Using a rolling pin, make a pizza 12-13” in diameter. Dough should be ¼” thick. An odd shape circle gives it a nice rustic look.

6. Using your hands, quickly lift and transfer the pizza to paddle or baking sheet.

7. Brush grill with a generous amount of oil and then slide the dough onto the enter of the grill. Immediately cover the grill. Grill until a crust and light marks appear, 1-2 minutes.
8. Using a paddle or large spatula, flip pizza.

9. With a spoon, dollop the crème fraiche mixture onto charred side. Layer onions on top of mixture and grill on a covered grill until nicely browned and crisp at the edges, about 7 minutes. (check after 3 minutes, if pizza is browning too quickly, move toa cooler part of the grill).

10. Arrange the slices of lox over the onions and garnish with dill. Bake 1 minute.

11. Remove pizza with paddle and transfer toa cutting board. Slice and eat immediately.

This recipe comes from my niece-in-law, Sarah, who says, “This pizza is pretty easy to make, especially if you use a pre-made dough from the grocery store. It's a basic grilled pizza recipe and you can substitute any toppings you like for the crème fraiche and salmon. The secret is to keep an eye on the grill.