Fig Shrimp & Arugula Flatbread Pizza

Fig, Shrimp & Arugula Flatbread Pizza

While at the local farmers market last weekend I came across some beautiful figs. They’re actually in season at the moment. Delicious, succulent, full of favor and goodness, I just love biting into the soft moist texture, letting the juice drip down my chin and then licking my fingers when I finish. It always excites me. What can I say, I love food. That’s the most obvious reason I’ve been a chef for 37 years and feel like I have never worked a day in my life. To this day, I still love to hear those words, “Chef that was amazing.” They are always said with a big smile. What other profession can you get such pure, instant appreciation from?

Last week, I was in California giving a presentation to Disney Lucas films and 30 food bloggers from around the country. I’ve been working closely with Lucas films and developing recipes for the release of the new Star wars movie the “Last Jedi.” How does that happen that a kid from Newcastle Upon Tyne in England ends up presenting recipes to Disney about a movie he fell in love with in 1977at the age of 13? I remember bugging my mother to make blue milk when we got home after watching the movie. All she did was mix cow’s milk with blue color dye. After a week, she told me we couldn’t have anymore because I was going to school each morning with blue teeth, funny but true. I presented my version of the iconic “Tatooine Blue Milk” to Disney and the bloggers. It took 30 attempts to get the formula just right, but, at the presentation last week, I heard those words, “Chef, that’s amazing.”

When you try the recipe at hand, I hope you hear those words. I used the leftovers figs I had after eating most of them while walking around the market. I added flat bread, mozzarella, thinly sliced red onion, and diced shrimp. I popped it into the oven to bake and finished it off with a splash of balsamic glaze, a scattering of arugula, and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

Fig Shrimp & Arugula Flatbread Pizza

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 naan flatbread (preferably wholegrain)

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

¼ cup thinly sliced chopped red onion

4 large fresh figs, stemmed and quartered

1 cup raw medium shell off shrimp, diced

Balsamic glaze, for drizzling (about 2 tablespoons)

1 cup fresh arugula

A twist of freshly ground black pepper

How to make:

Preheat the oven to 450’F

Place the flat breads onto a sheet pan, then divide the cheese, red onion, fig slices and diced shrimp between each flatbread.

Pop into the oven and bake for between 8 and 14 minutes depending on how crisp you want your flatbread to be, remove from the oven when the shrimp has cooked and the cheese is golden brown.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with the fresh arugula and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Slice, serve, and enjoy!`