Recipe

July 14, 2014

Magic Mushroom Medley Pizza

Recipe:

Step 1: Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and 2 tbsp of the oil. When the butter bubbles, add a pinch of salt, stir, and add the leeks.

Step 2: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the cognac, let sit for 5 seconds, then light a long match to it. Stand back and keep wayward clothing and shaggy hair away from the dancing flames. (If you have a gas stove, be aware that spattering particles may cause the alcohol to ignite prematurely.) The flame should burn out after about 10 seconds. If it continues to burn, put it out by placing a lid on the pan. Remove from the heat and reserve for topping.

Step 3: Preheat the grill, roll out and shape the dough, and grill the first side of the crust. Use tongs to transfer it to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.

Step 4: Spread the entire surface with the garlic paste, then with the mushroom-leek mixture. Artfully arrange the cheese over the top. Finish grilling the pizza (check out Pizza on the Grill Expanded for detailed master instructions).

Step 5: Remove from the grill, sprinkle with the thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately. Shave fresh black truffle over the top of the finished pizza.

Reprinted with permission from Pizza on the Grill Expanded (The Taunton Press, 2014).

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
Pinch of kosher salt; more to taste
1 leek, washed well (be fastidious), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and separated
into rings
10 oz. mixed wild mushrooms, such as morels, chanterelles, hen of the woods, lobster, king oyster, or other exotic varieties (or reconstituted dried mushrooms), sliced
3 oz. cognac
1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
1/2 cup roasted garlic paste
6 oz. Camembert cheese, rind removed if preferred, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Yield:

Step 1: Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and 2 tbsp of the oil. When the butter bubbles, add a pinch of salt, stir, and add the leeks.

Step 2: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the cognac, let sit for 5 seconds, then light a long match to it. Stand back and keep wayward clothing and shaggy hair away from the dancing flames. (If you have a gas stove, be aware that spattering particles may cause the alcohol to ignite prematurely.) The flame should burn out after about 10 seconds. If it continues to burn, put it out by placing a lid on the pan. Remove from the heat and reserve for topping.

Step 3: Preheat the grill, roll out and shape the dough, and grill the first side of the crust. Use tongs to transfer it to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.

Step 4: Spread the entire surface with the garlic paste, then with the mushroom-leek mixture. Artfully arrange the cheese over the top. Finish grilling the pizza (check out Pizza on the Grill Expanded for detailed master instructions).

Step 5: Remove from the grill, sprinkle with the thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately. Shave fresh black truffle over the top of the finished pizza.

Reprinted with permission from Pizza on the Grill Expanded (The Taunton Press, 2014).

Photographer:

Christopher Hirsheimer, courtesy of The Taunton Press