Grilled New Potatoes With Shiitake Mushrooms Shallots And Goat Cheese Food

PIZZA WITH PARSLEY PESTO, CREMINI MUSHROOMS, FONTINA AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• For the parsley pesto: Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts, basil, garlic, parsley and some salt and pepper to a food processor. With the motor running, slowly add about 1/2 cup olive oil and process until smooth. Pulse a few times to incorporate, adding more oil if the mixture is too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
• For the mushrooms: Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the mushrooms, garlic and shallots and saute until brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to a plate and reserve.
• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• For the pizzas: Portion the dough into six golf-ball-size pieces. Dust a work surface with flour and roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (or whatever shape you like). Brush the tops of each piece with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss on the grill, oil-side down. Cook until the bottoms are an even golden brown, about 3 minutes. (The tops will also start bubbling up with air pockets.) Flip over and grill until golden brown on the other side and just firm, about a minute or so. Remove to a baking sheet.
• Top the pizzas with the fontina, mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, dollops of goat cheese, crushed red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with the parsley pesto and garnish with a few more torn basil leaves.
• In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup warm water (if the water is too hot the yeast will die and if the water is too cold the yeast will not activate). Add the dry yeast and sugar, stir to combine and let sit for 15 minutes. The top of the water will bubble and it will smell very yeasty; this is what you want.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the olive oil and the yeast/water mixture. Using a fork, gradually stir the flour into the yeast/water mix. Once most of the flour has combined, turn the dough out to a smooth, clean work surface dusted with flour and use your hands to knead the dough to a smooth consistency.
• Lightly coat the mixing bowl with oil, return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
• When the dough is ready, portion it into six golf-ball-size pieces. (If you're not using the dough right away, wrap each ball individually in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.) Dust a work surface with flour and roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (or whatever shape you like; I like irregular shapes). Top the pizzas as desired.

ROASTED POTATOES AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in lowest position.
• Toss shallots with 1 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13-by 9-inch baking pan, spreading evenly.
• Roast, stirring occasionally, until shallots are golden, about 30 minutes.
• Toss potatoes with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then add to shallots.
• Roast, turning occasionally, until vegetables are tender and potatoes are crusty, 40 to 50 minutes.

GRILLED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS ON ROSEMARY SKEWERS

Steps:

• Place vinegar in a small bowl; whisk in oil. Add rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a shallow nonreactive dish, arrange mushrooms, stem-side down, in an even layer. Brush each mushroom cap with marinade, and set aside. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Trim rosemary sprigs to a length to hold two mushroom caps, leaving about 1 inch of the skewer exposed. Thread rosemary, stem-end first, crosswise through the mushrooms, removing rosemary needles if needed to skewer. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until warm. Cook the skewered mushrooms, stem-side up, on the grill for about 6 minutes, until subtle grill marks appear. Serve warm with remaining vinaigrette on the side, if desired.

GRILLED HERBED POTATOES AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and fill with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, and add salt. Reduce heat; simmer until potatoes are slightly tender when pierced with a fork (but not cooked through), about 10 minutes. Drain; let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut each potato in half.
• Heat grill to high. Overlap two pieces of foil, each about 3 feet long, to form a cross. Place the potatoes in one layer in center of cross. Drizzle the potatoes with 2 tablespoons oil; add the shallots and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Fold foil, enclosing the potatoes, and seal edges by crimping.
• Place foil packet on grill, and cook, shaking packet occasionally with tongs, until potatoes are cooked through and golden brown, about 20 minutes, depending on heat of grill. Remove packet from grill, carefully, watching for any steam and hot oil that might escape. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and adjust seasoning as desired.

POTATO AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOM GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt butter or margarine in a large pot over high heat. Add all mushrooms, and saute; until liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes.
• Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary; saute; 1 minute.
• Add chicken broth. Simmer until liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 18 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Position 1 rack in middle of the oven, and another rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
• Peel potatoes, and cut into 1/8 inch slices.
• Arrange 1/3 of the potatoes in prepared dish, overlapping slightly.
• Top potatoes with half of the mushroom mixture.
• Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over mushrooms.
• Repeat layering 1/3 of the potatoes, remaining mushroom mixture, and 1/3 of the cheese.
• Arrange remaining potatoes atop cheese.
• Whisk half and half, cream, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl to blend. Pour mixture over potatoes.
• Cover loosely with foil.
• Place baking dish on middle rack in oven, and a baking sheet on the bottom rack. Bake until potatoes are tender and liquid thickens, about 1 hour and 15 minutes,.
• Uncover, using metal spatula, press on potatoes to submerge.
• Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes.
• Bake until cheese melts and gratin is golden at edges, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes.

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH SHALLOTS MUSHROOMS GARLIC AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Remove white papery skins from garlic heads (do not peel or separate cloves). Wrap each head separately in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp (you should have about 1/4 cup). Discard skins.
• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat.
• Place milk, garlic pulp, flour, thyme, salt, and pepper in a food processor; process until smooth.
• Arrange one-third of potatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Spread half of the shallot mixture over potatoes. Repeat procedure with remaining potato slices and shallot mixture, ending with potato slices. Pour milk mixture evenly over potatoes.
• Cover with foil; bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 15 minutes or until cheese is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

POTATO AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOM GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt butter in large pot over high heat. Add all mushrooms and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken broth and simmer until liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Position 1 rack in middle of oven and another rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes in dish, overlapping slightly. Top with half of mushroom mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese over. Repeat layering 1/3 of potatoes, remaining mushroom mixture and 1/3 of cheese. Arrange remaining potatoes atop cheese. Whisk half and half, cream, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend; pour over potatoes. Cover loosely with foil.
• Place baking sheet on bottom rack in oven. Place baking dish on middle rack in oven and bake until potatoes are tender and liquid thickens, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Uncover. Using metal spatula, press on potatoes to submerge. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes; bake until cheese melts and gratin is golden at edges, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes.

GRILLED SHIITAKE (OAK MUSHROOMS)

Steps:

• Preheat charcoal or gas-fired grill.
• Wipe mushrooms with damp cloth and place them, stem side down, on hot grill and cook 2 or 3 minutes. Turn and cook 2 or 3 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, blend soy sauce, lemon juice, mirin, chopped scallions and chili mixture. Serve mushrooms immediately with sauce on side for dipping.