Before I get right to it today, I have to say I’m just tickled pink with all your feedback on my Verbal Purge post. I’m hanging out with a Southern gal this weekend, so I thought it’d be appropriate to start working on my Southern phrases. Tickled pink is really all I got though, and I’m not even sure it qualifies as Southern.
I digress, in the middle of trying to thank you too, which makes for a fairly lousy appreciation bit. Let me try again: Thank You. Since the majority of my eats are different (and delicious, obviously), I didn’t think I was doing anybody any favors in this little HLB community of ours, and I was wrong. I would eat crow now, except I’m a vegetarian.
It turns out, my eats have helped some of y’all (more southern phrases poking out; I could go so far south with this joke, and I guess I kinda just did). Your comments literally changed my perception and actually made me a tad bit teary eyed, which isn’t easy to do, aside from random sob fests on the floor, but I was totally hormonal then so it doesn’t count.
It would mean a lot to me though if I actually saw you start eating some egg yolks and a little bit cheese every now and again, unless of course you’re vegan or lactose intolerant. Then I don’t recommend it, especially not if you share a bathroom with other humans. Just sayin’.
In order to express my appreciation, I give you pizza and not just any pizza either. No, I have a Strange But Good pizza, made out of leftovers because that’s how I roll.
Drumroll please….too dramatic. No such thing.
I present to you a little thing I like to call The Mexicali Blues Pizza.
You might not remember (as if), but I threw a Cinco de Mayo themed baby shower a few weeks back. It rocked, and since the party was at my place, I got to keep the leftovers: some Strawberry Tequila Lemonade and a couple ears of corn, to be exact.
Sometimes booze is bad, sometimes it leads to culinary genius, or maybe that’s the just the booze talking.
I also had some sautéed onions and peppers and half a bundle of cilantro hanging around, doing whatever it is leftovers do. They probably live it up in my fridge at night. I certainly would.
I cooked the corn, shaved it from the cob, and mixed in up with a can of black beans and fresh cilantro.
I smothered a pizza crust in the sautéed, practically caramelized, onions and peppers because you can never have enough onions and peppers. Well unless you’re on a first date and then any onion is too much onion.
I tossed the black bean and corn mixture on top of the veggies, along with some chopped green onions (never too much onion) and some freshly shredded mozzarella cheese.
Then I baked the entire thing for fifteen or so minutes before face planting right into it. It was ridiculously good. Honestly, go buy the ingredients and make this. Or maybe wait for your local corn to come in and then make this because that’s about the only way this little gem could get any better. Saucy, salty, sweet, and cilantro-y; this is a flavor explosion in your mouth. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Before you run right out and make this (I can hardly believe you’re still reading right now; Bless Your Heart (I’m getting better at this Southern thing)), head on over to Laura’s blog to see what other Strange But Good contenders are out there. Then come back and create this pizza because it’s just that damn good. You won’t regret it.
The Mexicali Blues Pizza (Caramelized Onions, Black Bean and Corn Pizza)
*(serves 2 really, really hungry folks or 4 reasonably hungry people: The Hubby and I ate it in two separate sittings).
Side Note: I rarely measure when I cook and this time was no exception (I did mention the Strawberry Tequila, yes) so these are fairly good approximations. At the end of the day, it’s a pizza so you can add as a little or as many toppings as you want.
Ingredients
- 1 large pizza dough ball. This is a topping heavy pizza, in a good way, so use real dough. It can take the weight.
- 2 cups caramelized onions and bell peppers. Click here for great instructions on caramelizing onions. In order to get 2 cups of caramelized, you’ll need about 2 cups of sliced onions and 2 cups of sliced bell peppers to start (so 4 cups reduced down to 2 cups)
- 2 ears of corn, cooked and shaved off the cob (1 can of corn would work too). To cook 2 ears of corn, bring a large pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon of sugar added. Once the water comes to a boil, add the corn and cover for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the corn, let cool and then using a sharp knife, shave the corn kernels from the cob.
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed.
- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped. If you use more toppings, I recommend using more cilantro.
- 2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts of the onion).
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- a dusting of salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or follow directions on premade pizza dough ball).
- While oven is heating, combine cooked corn, black beans and cilantro in a medium bowl. Let sit on counter until ready for use.
- Roll out pizza dough and bake, topping less, for five minutes.
- Remove the pizza dough from the oven and add your toppings: first spread the caramelized onions and peppers, then the black bean, corn, and cilantro mixture. Scatter the entire pizza with the chopped green onions and freshly shredded mozzarella cheese. Dust the entire thing with a sprinkle of salt and a dash pepper.
- Put in the oven and bake for approximately 10 additional minutes until the crust is cooked through and the edges start to brown.
Do you make homemade pizza often? What are your favorite strange but good pizza toppings?
Make Your Own Pizza is a regular thing at thIs house. I’m usually pretty boring with toppings adding as much of the “usual fare” as my crust will support. But one strange but good topping I do sometimes, and I think you’ll like this, is a cracked raw egg added before tossing in the oven. Soooo delicious!
I love the idea of adding a cracked raw egg.
Why can’t you just live closer to me my dear?!
I need to get on the homemade pizza bandwagon. This sounds incredible and I need to give it a try! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!! 😉
You should. I actually think homemade pizzas are far better than most places out because you can choose whatever toppings your little heart desires.
I need that pizza. In my body. Now. Oh and have fun this weekend!!
I agree. Go make this. It’s phenomenal.
Can I just say how much it pleases me that you cooked fresh corn for this recipe? Personally I think fresh is one gazillion times better than canned in this case (I must admit that I don’t feel that way about green beans though…). There is so much going on in this pizza that it would be impossible not to like it. I’ve never seen a pizza with corn on it before, so I guess in that respect it’s strange. But otherwise, I could totally see this becoming a new crowd favorite at Domino’s (at least not Pizza Hut, Donato’s or CiCi’s because I can’t stand those places). Maybe even a frozen pizza company could pick up your idea? Oh. Brilliant. Just make up a few of these and freeze them in saran wrap. Pop em in the oven and oh goodness- deliciousness. It’s not delivery, it’s Meghan’s 😉 (Just a little commercial humor to brighten up this dreary day! 🙂 )
I like your commercial humor. It absolutely brightened my day, but your comments always seem to do that. Ya gotta use fresh corn. Alright, you don’t have to, but it makes it that much better when you do.
That looks heavenly!!
Thanks Sara; it was fantastic.
Meghan,
I’m thrilled to see this pizza, and I just love the name! It looks delicious (I’m especially a fan of the corn still in neat rows, I’m pretty sure you didn’t line them right back up after cutting them off from the cob). Extra bonus points for your use of leftovers. Well done. Radish? Red onion? What’s on top that’s pinkish purple?
Perhaps I’ll try to make a homemade pizza. 🙂
I think of you every time I make pizza now. And I included the recipe for you, although I suspect you would have been fine with my generalized description too. The lines of corn was just the way the corn crumbled (or really was pared) off the cob, and the redish bits is actually green onions (spring onions) from the farmers market. The base of the onions had a red little layer on them. They were gorgeous, but alas they had to be eaten all the same.
I was thrilled with the use of leftovers and knew you would appreciate it. Everything but the black beans and the pizza dough was leftovers from that baby shower. Talk about a win.
Booze… bad?! Never! I think this pizza is proof of that. Looks amazing!!
Have fun with Allie this weekend!!!
Thanks Laura. It sure was fun making it and not simply because of the booze.
Looks delicious!! my favorite pizza toppings aren’t that strange… onions, mushrooms and broccoli. Oh, and hot sauce, for sure! 🙂
Iike the idea of using hot sauce on a pizza, especially with some blue cheese, maybe a side of chicken for the Hubby. I’m also digging the addition of broccoli and you can never have enough onions.
A delicious looking pizza + some booze.. ah perfect meal!!
I think so too! A flirty cocktail, some fun homemade pizza on a Friday night. It’s a perfect way to kick off the weekend.
Your pizza is making me DROOL! I LOVE pizza!! My favorite strange topping would be potatoes, but I don’t think that is really all that strange. Some people might though!
Potatoes sounds strange, but good. I think you’re on to something there.
I love your Strange but Good combo’s! So creative and inspiring!
Thanks. The best part was this came together simply from leftovers. Crazy, right?!
Wait a minute! Did I read that right?? You’re hanging with Allie?! How?! Where?! Why was I not told of this?!!? Ahhhhhhhhhh!
Pizza looks great m’dear (Southern) and I’m definitely down with that combo of ingredients…hmmm, and I just HAPPENED to pick up some local corn this weekend! Well ain’t that just sumthin’? (again, it just come naturally! ;))
You should have been part of it! That would have been ridiculously fantastic. Although if I make my way to Allie in Nashville, I think a day trip to Heather land is in order. I want to meet your kitty and cook eggs and cheese in your kitchen.
I hope you make this pizza my dear. It was fan-freakin-tastic, and I don’t say that often. Then again, I was drinking, but it was just one.
Need.that.pizza- it’s like 2 of my favorite pizzas in one…synergy much ;)? Hope you and Allie had a blast together- can’t wait to hear about the fun you both got up to together!
It was a whole lot of banana shenanigans, which I loved.
The pizza was the bomb. Make it. For real.