Here are four ideas for adding meaty goodness to a pizza. A little bit of meat goes a long way on pizza, no need to drown in animal protein when there are so many other toppings to choose. This is part of our entire menu for creating a make-your-own-pizza party. See the entire plan for hosting a creative pizza party and get more ideas for bases, toppings, and cool finishing touches.
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recipe
SPICY GROUND LAMB
Lamb is an interesting accompaniment to many cheeses, and the spices in this mix really make the dish. Nice finished with a squirt of the curry oil, or the spicy lemon aioli. Leftovers would be perfect in pasta, a frittata, or as the start of a chili.
MAKES A BIG BOWLFUL
GET OUT YOUR MORTAR AND PESTLE … START SPICE MIX…
1 TB coriander seeds
1 TB cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
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On a hot skillet, toast seeds for a minute or so, shaking the pan frequently. Transfer to mortar and pestle. Crush.
FINISH SPICE MIX
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp fresh basil, minced
s + p
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Toast spices together on the skillet, till fragrant. Combine with crushed coriander/cumin seeds.
COOK THE LAMB
1 TB olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, remove seeds, cut into thin rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 LB ground lamb
spice mix
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In a large pan, heat olive oil, saute onion and jalapeño about 4 min over medium heat, until slightly browned. Add garlic, cook another min. Break up ground lamb into the pan, incorporate. Brown meat on high heat, about 5 to 6 min. Drain excess liquid as you cook, so meat browns. Meat should be fairly dry before you add the spice mix.
Incorporate spice mix, and cook over high heat for 4 to 5 min more. Break up any larger pieces with a wooden spoon, for a crumbly consistency.
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recipe
SAUSAGE
If you don’t have time to make the spiced ground lamb, sausages add their own flavor sensation.
makes ABOUT 80 SLICES
GET A MIX
2 Italian sweet sausages (about 3/4 LB)
2 Italian hot sausages (about 3/4 LB)
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Heat for 2 min in the microwave. The idea is to cook the insides and just brown the outsides on a pan. Check sausages, flip over, heat for another 2 min. They should be about half-way cooked. Heat up a skillet and brown sausages on all sides. Remove from pan, let rest for a few min on paper towels. Slice thinly.
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recipe
PEPPERONI DOTS
One speck of pepperoni goes a long way.
MAKES A SMALL DISH PERFECT FOR SPORADIC SPRINKLING
MAKE ‘EM TINY
1 1/2-inch piece Pepperoni
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Cut into 1/8-inch cubes. Fry in a hot skillet to brown. Serve in small dish with a little spoon.
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recipe
SURRYANO HAM
Think of this as the American alternative to prosciutto or serrano. From the meat of pasture-raised Berkshire hogs, the perfectly marbled result is free of any antibiotics or added hormones. EDWARDS Surry Farm Surryano Ham is dry-cured, then smoked over hickory for 7 days. After that it takes 400 days to reach it’s mature, peak flavor. Makes a wonderful addition to the pizza toppings with its salty, fatty presence.
GET IT SLICED THINLY
EDWARDS Surry Farm Surryano Ham
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Just tear and twist into pyramid shapes and display.
See more ideas for creating an exciting pizza buffet in 03 Easy Pizza
