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Mushroom and Leek Pizza

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Looks as if I am on a cast iron skillet kick, doesn’t it?  As it turns out this pizza and the cornbread (in my previous post) are the only two things I make in my cast iron skillet.  And to be honest, I would’ve never thought to make either in a cast iron skillet – thank you Martha Stewart for opening my eyes!  This technique for making a pizza is brilliant, you don’t have to deal with pizza stones or anything else, just a skillet.

This pizza is delicious. The mushroom and leek combination is wonderful, the fontina cheese melts beautifully and the prosciutto, which doesn’t even actually cook, takes it over the top with a slightly salty punch.  Heaven.  And you know what else is heaven?  I bought the pizza dough.  I could certainly make it myself, but why would I?  I have an infant that occupies demands 98% of my time and the pizza place around the corner happily sells me the dough they have made to perfection.

This pizza is leagues above any frozen pizza out there and cooks in almost the same amount of time.  Why wouldn’t you make this?

Here’s what you will need to make one small pizza…

Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, sliced

1 package crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cups fontina cheese, grated

3-4 thin slices prosciutto, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 small pizza dough (I get it drizzled with olive oil)

*10 inch cast iron skillet

Method

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

First get started on the leek.  Using the white and pale green parts only, slice the leek down the center lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 1/2 moons.  Place in a deep bowl and rinse under cold water once or twice, running your fingers through the leeks, breaking them apart.  Fill up the bowl with cold water and let the leeks sit for a few minutes.  Any remaining grit will sink to the bottom of the bowl.

Carefully scoop out the leeks, being sure to not disturb the water below.  Lay on a kitchen towel to dry a bit.

While the leeks are sitting in the water, clean and slice your mushrooms.

In a medium skillet (not the cast iron skillet) melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.  Add sliced mushrooms to the pan as well as the remaining tablespoon of butter.  Saute until the mushrooms soften, 4-5 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly.  While the mushrooms are cooking, shred the fontina cheese.  (It helps to put the cheese in the freezer for about 20 minutes before shredding).
I love mushrooms.


Pour 1 tablespoon of oil in the middle of the cast iron skillet and spread it all around, coating the entire bottom as well as a portion of the sides.  (I use a pastry brush for this).  Lay the pizza dough in the skillet and flatten and stretch out with your fingertips.  The edges of the dough should cover the entire bottom of the skillet.

Turn the flame on to medium under the cast iron skillet.   Lay about 1 cup of fontina cheese on the pizza dough.  Then top the cheese with the mushroom mixture (I usually have some leftover, good for throwing into a frittata or for snacking).  Finally, add the rest of the fontina on top of the mushrooms.  Allow the pizza to cook on the stove top for approximately 4-5 minutes.  You will notice the bottom starting to brown.

Now transfer the skillet into the oven.  Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, being careful not to burn the pizza.  Take the skillet out of the oven and scatter the prosciutto pieces over the top of the pizza.  Slice and serve!

Zucchini Salad

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Isn’t this pretty?  Considering we eat with our eyes first, this is a very good start.

The follow up…the flavor, does not disappoint.  It’s bright and refreshing making it a wonderful first course in the warmer months or a perfect side dish with something more hearty, like a steak.

One of the many reasons I love this salad is because, although I call it a salad, there are no leaves to be found!  So, it’s different from the norm and lord knows it’s important to keep things changing from one night to the next.  Another reason I love it – it’s so simple to make.  And I love simple, especially when it’s warm out.  There are just a few ingredients involved and you do not need to use a heat element.  Everything is raw.

You will, however, need a mandolin.  The key to this salad is to make the slices of zucchini paper-thin.  I suppose you could try slicing the zucchini by hand, but I’m sure that could make a person nuts.  Using a mandolin is quick and easy…just be careful of your fingers.  You don’t want to slice anything important off.

Here’s what you will need to serve 2 people…

Recipe

1 large zucchini

1 small leek, white and light green part only, sliced into paper-thin rounds

4-5 tbsp ricotta

1/2 lemon, juiced

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp dill, finely chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

Method

First, slice the leek into paper-thin rounds.  Put the rounds in a bowl filled with water, swish them around a bit and then let the leeks soak for a few minutes, allowing all the sand and dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl.  Gently pull out the leeks, being careful not to stir up the dirt on the bottom.  Give them a final rinse and place on paper towels to dry.

Next, get out that mandolin and start slicing the zucchini into paper-thin rounds.  It helps to make a very straight first cut with the knife when you cut the stem off.  Place all the zucchini in an overlapping pattern on a pretty platter.

Sprinkle the zucchini rounds with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Place a piece of plastic wrap over it and put in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.  I usually let mine sit for about 30 minutes, or until dinner is ready.

Just before serving, sprinkle the leeks over the zucchini, putting on as many or as little as you prefer.  Next, scatter around small dollops of ricotta cheese all over the zucchini, again using as much or as little as you like.  Finally, sprinkle the parsley and dill over the entire plate.  I also give it a final spritz of lemon juice just before serving.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence’s Zucchini Carpaccio

 

Zucchini Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 1 small leek, white and light green part only, sliced into paper-thin rounds
  • 4-5 tbsp ricotta
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
  • salt & pepper, to taste
Method
  1. First, slice the leek into paper-thin rounds.  Put the rounds in a bowl filled with water, swish them around a bit and then let the leeks soak for a few minutes, allowing all the sand and dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl.  Gently pull out the leeks, being careful not to stir up the dirt on the bottom.  Give them a final rinse and place on paper towels to dry.
  2. Next, get out that mandolin and start slicing the zucchini into paper-thin rounds.  It helps to make a very straight first cut with the knife when you cut the stem off.  Place all the zucchini in an overlapping pattern on a pretty platter.
  3. Sprinkle the zucchini rounds with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Place a piece of plastic wrap over it and put in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.  I usually let mine sit for about 30 minutes, or until dinner is ready.
  4. Just before serving, sprinkle the leeks over the zucchini, putting on as many or as little as you prefer.  Next, scatter around small dollops of ricotta cheese all over the zucchini, again using as much or as little as you like.  Finally, sprinkle the parsley and dill over the entire plate.  I also give it a final spritz of lemon juice just before serving.

Potato Fennel and Leek Soup

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PotatoFennelLeekSoupFinalR

Baby, it’s cold outside!  It was bound to happen sooner or later, I mean, it is winter.  I’m not exactly one of those ‘lovers of the cold weather’ types, I’m more of a lover of the spring and fall.  Seasons without extreme temperatures.  I am not an extremist, apparently!

On these frigid days it is great to come in out of the cold to a warm pot of soup bubbling away on the stove.  It soothes the soul.

This soup is quite easy to make and doesn’t take alot of time.  For something quick and easy the result is super delicious.  That’s a bonus in my book!

Here’s what you will need to serve approximately 6…

Recipe

3 tbsp butter

3 medium fennel, chopped (reserve some fronds)

1 large leek (white and pale green parts only) sliced thin

2-3 large russet potatoes, peeled – 2 inch chop (more potato = thicker soup)

5-6 cups chicken stock (low sodium)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

In a large stock pot melt the butter.  Once melted, add the fennel, fronds, leeks, salt & pepper.  Saute until soft, roughly 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes and the broth (which should cover all the ingredients) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, partially covered.

Now it is time to puree the soup.  The easiest way to do this is with an immersion hand blender.  Just keep at it until it comes to a smooth consistency and most of the chunks of potatoes are gone.  I do like when there is one or two small chunks remaining.  If you don’t have an immersion blender things do get a bit more high-maintenance…you need to puree the liquid in batches in a food processor (or blender).  So, pour out a few ladles at a time and puree, being careful with the hot liquid.  Pour the pureed soup into a new pot.

Ladle into individual bowls and serve.  If you are having company over and you want to be all showy and stuff, you can put a piece of fennel frond in each bowl.

 

Potato Fennel and Leek Soup
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 medium fennel, chopped (reserve some fronds)
  • 1 large leek (white and pale green parts only) sliced thin
  • 2-3 large russet potatoes, peeled - 2 inch chop (more potato = thicker soup)
  • 5-6 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
  1. In a large stock pot melt the butter.  Once melted, add the fennel, fronds, leeks, salt & pepper.  Saute until soft, roughly 10 minutes.
  2. Add the potatoes and the broth (which should cover all the ingredients) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, partially covered.
  3. Now it is time to puree the soup.  The easiest way to do this is with an immersion hand blender.  Just keep at it until it comes to a smooth consistency and most of the chunks of potatoes are gone.  I do like when there is one or two small chunks remaining.  If you don't have an immersion blender things do get a bit more high-maintenance...you need to puree the liquid in batches in a food processor (or blender).  So, pour out a few ladles at a time and puree, being careful with the hot liquid.  Pour the pureed soup into a new pot.
  4. Ladle into individual bowls and serve.  If you are having company over and you want to be all showy and stuff, you can put a piece of fennel frond in each bowl.