I promised a second blog on holiday leftovers, and here it is, finally. I know it is way too late to use your Christmas leftovers, but this pizza is worth the wait.
For Christmas dinner this year, we served beef tenderloin. I am now a convert, no more turkey or ham for me. I think I shall always serve beef tenderloin from this Christmas forth. Delicious doesn't seem appropriate enough a word to describe it. Heaven-on-a-plate, maybe works. There must be a beautiful Italian or Spanish word that fits. Celestiale? Paradisíaco? The fact that there were any leftovers is only because I thought ahead and made more than the family could eat.
I have to give credit for this pizza to the manager of our favorite Mexican restaurant in Alpharetta, El Azteca. One night, over a year ago, on a rare date with my husband, Norma suggested that we try making a carne asada pizza at Mia's. I had imagined such a pizza for a while, so I figured what better way to use up that leftover beef tenderloin than to make a carne asada pie?
To begin with, I had to make a sauce. I didn't want to use a traditional red sauce, so I got out the food processor and threw in some onion, cilantro, and tomatoes. I also added some ground almonds to give it a little texture -- almost creating a cilantro pesto. With the addition of some salt and pepper, it turned out to be a great backdrop for the other ingredients. We used sliced red onions, beef tenderloin, freshly grated parm, and fresh cilantro as the toppings. When making pizza in your home oven, I suggest a 450 degree temperature, and if you can get your hands on one, use a pizza stone. Be sure to allow the pizza stone to preheat with your oven because it can't work its magic if it is cold. Bake your pizza until the dough is a nice, golden color and until the cheese is bubbly. This pizza was divine. Truly one of the best pizzas I have ever had.
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