Blistered corn, asparagus, and pesto pizza

BT Toronto | posted Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

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Blistered corn, asparagus, and pesto pizza

Ingredients:

• 2 ears corn, husks removed
• 12 asparagus spears, woody bottoms discarded
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt to taste
• ¼ cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
• 1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1 cup Basil Pesto or store-bought
• 12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 4 strips each
• 6 ounces Brie, rind removed if preferred, cut into ¼-inch-thick strips, then cut into
• 1-inch squares
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the grill per the master instructions  for gas (page 11) or charcoal (page 14).
2. Brush the corn and asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt, then place them on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill, turning occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Let cool. To remove the kernels, stand the corn upright. Grip the top of the cob and slide your sharpest knife straight down between the cob and kernels. Cut the asparagus tips off,  then cut the remaining stalks into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Reserve both for topping.
3. Roll out and shape the dough, then grill the  first side of the crust per the master instructions. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.
4. Spread the entire surface with the pesto.  Sprinkle with the corn, asparagus, and tomatoes. Top with the cheese.
5. Finish grilling the pizza per the master  instructions.
6. Remove from the grill, sprinkle with the red  pepper, and season with salt and black pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Courtesy Bob Blumer, www.bobblumer.com

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