Grilled Walnut Olive Bread With Exotic Mushrooms Recipes

GRILLED FLATBREAD WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For the dough: Stir together the sugar in 2 cups warm water in a medium bowl until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit until the mixture becomes slightly foamy, about 5 minutes. If the mixture doesn't become foamy, it means the yeast is dead; throw the mixture out and start over with a new packet of yeast.
• Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed until combined. Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil and knead on low speed for 4 minutes. Raise the mixer speed to medium-low and knead until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes. Raise the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, pliable, and elastic, 5 minutes more. Lightly oil a large, clean bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• For the mushrooms: Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the portobello mushrooms, half of the oyster mushrooms, 3 sprigs thyme and half of the bay leaf to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms no longer give off liquid and are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, stir and transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When it has melted, add the remaining mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf. Cook the second batch in the same manner as above. Add a pinch of salt, stir and transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the first batch. Set aside.
• To assemble: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. If you'd like to grill your crust first, preheat a grill for cooking over medium heat.
• Dust your work surface with flour and cut the dough in half. Using your fingertips, press out each piece into an oval roughly 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. If grilling crust first, brush the dough with olive oil and place on the grill. Grill until cooked through and well-marked on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and transfer the flatbreads to the prepared pans. If not grilling, simply transfer one piece of dough to each of the prepared pans and brush with olive oil.
• Divide the mushrooms evenly between the two crusts and top with the truffled Pecorino and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake until the cheese has melted and the flatbreads are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes if the crusts were grilled and 17 to 20 minutes if not (if your oven can't accommodate both flatbreads on the center rack, use the upper and lower racks and rotate and switch their positions halfway through). Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

WALNUT-OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes. When the mixture is foamy, stir in the remaining ingredients. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook or by hand until it is smooth, shiny and elastic. (The dough can also be made in a food processor.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch the dough down, roll it into 2 oblongs (about 8 inches long, 4 inches wide and 3 inches high), and place in oiled loaf pans. Let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool before slicing.

GRILLED WALNUT OLIVE-BREAD WITH EXOTIC MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the grill until it is quite hot.
• Cut the bread into 8 3/4-inch-thick slices. Lightly brush each slice with olive oil. Wash and trim the mushrooms. Thread the mushrooms on skewers by size (large ones together on one skewer, small ones on another). Brush the mushrooms with oil, and sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper.
• Just before serving, grill the mushrooms over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until cooked. Grill the bread slices for 30 seconds per side, or until toasted. Put the bread on warm plates, and top each slice with with mushrooms. Garnish with parsley sprigs, lemon wedges and thin shavings of cheese.

GRILLED HERB FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, water and sugar in a bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in the oil and 3 cups of the flour. Knead the dough by hand for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a food processor or a mixer fitted with a dough hook. If necessary, add more flour; the dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, brush the top with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch the dough down, and form it into a long 2-inch-thick roll. Cut the roll into 2-inch pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and keep covered with a damp dish towel. Roll out each ball as thinly as possible to make a flat bread 6 to 8 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Lightly dust each round with flour, and stack, separated by pieces of wax paper.
• Heat the grill until it is medium-hot. Mince the garlic, and combine with the herbs in a small bowl. Combine the cracked peppercorns and salt in another small bowl. Lightly brush each round with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and the salt mixture, and place, oiled side down, on the grill. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or until slightly puffed and blistered. Lightly brush the top with oil, and sprinkle on more herbs and the salt mixture. Turn the focaccia, and cook another 30 seconds or until lightly browned. Cook all the dough the same way.
• Just before serving, sprinkle each focaccia with a few more herbs and the salt mixture.

EXOTIC MUSHROOM AND WALNUT PATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread walnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned.
• In a large saute pan, cook shallots in butter over medium heat until translucent. Then add chopped mushrooms, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Process toasted walnuts and olive oil in a blender or food processor until mixture forms a thick paste. Spoon in the cooked mushroom mixture, and process to desired texture.
• Pack mixture into well-oiled ramekins or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI RIBBONS

Steps:

• Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high (450 to 600 degrees). Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it with a tightly folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and drawn across the bars of the grate with tongs. If using bamboo skewers, soak in cold water.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon barbecue rub and lemon zest, and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
• Cut off and discard the ends of the zucchini. Using a mandolin outfitted with a finger guard, thinly slice one zucchini lengthwise into slices scant 1/8-inch thick. You can also use a chef's knife to cut slices lengthwise just shy of 1/8-inch thick. (Try folding your first or second strip. If it breaks at the fold, it means it's too thick.) Lay the slices flat on a sheet pan. Lightly brush the tops with enough barbecue butter to lightly coat and lightly sprinkle with some of the remaining 2 tablespoons barbecue rub.
• Fold a zucchini slice into an accordion shape (like multiple Ws or ribbon candy) and thread it onto a metal or soaked bamboo skewer. Continue threading until all the slices from the zucchini are on the skewer. Slice, brush, season and skewer the remaining zucchini the same way. You should wind up with 6 skewers.
• Arrange the zucchini kebabs, skin sides down, on the grate. Grill (covered if using a gas grill), basting with any remaining barbecue butter and turning to evenly brown, until singed at some of the edges, 1 to 2 minutes per side (4 to 8 minutes in all). Season with salt if needed and serve.