The web abounds with great Thanksgiving turkey recipes, and rightly so. The harvest season is a great time of year and it deserves plenty of celebration.
But what are you going to feast on the next day, or the next week, for that matter? Chances are good that it will be turkey sandwiches.
What I propose instead is a fun, easy and tasty way to enjoy your leftovers with friends once the big family event has passed. So put a little turkey aside for a delicious Thanksgiving pizza with smoked Gouda, served after a piquant platter of Canadian cheeses paired with cheerful wines.
You won’t have much preparing to do, since the Thanksgiving pizza uses many traditional turkey meal ingredients. Before you put your pizza in the oven, take the time to sit with your guests and enjoy a nice platter of tasty cheeses.
Start your platter with the same creamy Gouda that you sprinkled on the pizza – just remember to get a little more. Combine it with a strong and fruity Clos Saint-Ambroise and a nutty Tomme de Grosse-Île.
Enjoy these cheeses with a light and fruity red, such as a Gamay de Touraine, or a well-rounded white, such as a Chilean Chardonnay or a white Bordeaux.
Happy Thanksgiving … and beyond!
Thanksgiving Pizza with Smoked Gouda
Ingredients:
1 store-bought thin pizza crust about 12˝ (30 cm) in diameter
1/4 cup (60 ml) cranberry sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh rosemary or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried rosemary
1 cup (250 ml) cooked turkey leftovers, diced
2 tbsp (30 ml) leftover turkey sauce
½ cup (125 ml) zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup (125 ml) sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup (60 ml) sliced red onions
1 cup (250 ml) grated Canadian Smoked Gouda
4 oz (120 g) Canadian Cream cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425oF (220oC).
Place pizza crust on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
Evenly spread out cranberry sauce.
Add toppings, finishing with Cream cheese spoonfuls or cubes.
Bake about 15 minutes or until cheeses are slightly golden.
Serve and savour.
