Dirty Diamonds

They lurk on the fringes of civilization, just beyond the beaten trail, breeding and multiplying rapidly under the cover of darkness. Few take notice of their growing forces, and those who do rarely understand the implications. Call it a parasite, call it invasive, but I just call it dinner.

Chanterelle mushrooms are prized by umami-lovers the world over, fetching hefty prices at market due to their untamed ways. Like many of the greatest culinary treasures, chanterelles have never successfully been cultivated, demanding that the hungry hordes hunt and forage by hand for such this rarefied prize. A risky venture for the uninitiated, mushroom collection can quickly go awry with just one wrong identification. As a novice myself, the first piece of advice I would give for any fungus fanatics is to go with someone who knows. Even if I knew what I was looking for on my first expedition, I would have bypassed those bright orange caps for fear of culling something genuinely poisonous. Chanetelles succeed in making themselves look quite fearsome at first glance.

Knowing what to look for is one thing, and knowing where to look is another entirely. The best spots are just beyond the trampled woodland trails, amongst fallen trees and in soft, damp soil. In fact, these water-loving creatures are most likely to spring up after a decent rain, so brace yourself for muddy messy conditions. Poke under leaves and dig around when you find a patch; there may very well be more hidden within nearby shifting earth.

Chanterelles vary greatly in size, but rarely grow so strong that they need to be forceably cut from the ground. Slip your fingers underneath the cap to support it before gently pulling upwards. It should easily yield under pressure. Stash your treasures in a breathable cloth or compostable plastic bag.

Oh, did I mention mud? Yes, prepare yourself for some serious mud-slinging in the most literal sense possible. Wear boots, long pants, work gloves, and absolutely nothing you care about wearing again. Not only will you emerge caked in filth, but naturally, your mushrooms will as well. Knock off as much dirt as possible in the field and immediately hose them down when you get home. Take a paring knife to shave down stems and cut out any iffy pieces. Let them air dry, then wash them again. Then take a tooth brush to scrub away more of the particles stuck in the frilly caps. Dry, and then once more for good measure, wash them again before cooking. Don’t fear the water; larger caps can actually be squeezed out much like sponges to expel extra liquid.

Once you’re reasonably satisfied that you won’t get a mouthful of soil with your meal, process the mushrooms immediately. Fresh chanterelles are extremely fragile and will deteriorate rapidly. Your best bet is to chop them roughly and saute in a dry skillet to express the extra water. Once the surrounding liquid has evaporated, stash the pieces in fridge or freezer for more long term storage. Alternatively, you can then transfer them into a dehydrator to get crispy dices that can be stored at room-temperature, or ground to a powder for seasoning.

Side note: Never eat wild, foraged mushrooms raw, for obvious reasons. Just don’t risk it.

The greatest way to honor these noble spores, however, is to eat them right away. My favorite approach is to slice them thick before baking lightly in the oven merely to concentrate their inherent umami. Use these slabs to top just about anything; tofu scrambles, creamy pastas, and of course, pizzas the world over.

What follows is not actually a recipe but a guideline for my current quick-fix chanterelle indulgence. If you should ever be so lucky to uncover a trove of wild, edible mushrooms, the best thing you can do is to let them shine. In this application, their earthy flavors are accentuated by the deep, caramelized sweetness of roasted garlic, a subtle hit of rosemary, and woodsy smoked tomatoes. Any and all ingredients entirely interchangeable based on availability and personal preference. Just don’t overthink it, celebrate your wild food find, and enjoy your edible plunder to the fullest.

Yield: Makes 2 – 4 Servings

Chanterelle Flatbread Pizza

Name: Chanterelle Flatbread Pizza
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 – 3/4 Pound Fresh Chanterelle Mushrooms, Cut into 1/4-Inch Slices; 1 Head Roasted Garlic; 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil; 1/4 Teaspoon Salt; 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary; 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper; 1 Flatbread or Small Par-Baked Pizza Crust; 1/4 Cup Smoked Julienne Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes; 2 Tablespoons Chopped Toasted Pecans; Arugula, Pea Shoots, or Mache

With this simple flatbread, the earthy flavors of fresh chanterelle mushrooms are accentuated by the deep, caramelized sweetness of roasted garlic, a subtle hit of rosemary, and woodsy smoked tomatoes.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 – 3/4 Pound Fresh Chanterelle Mushrooms, Cut into 1/4-Inch Slices
1 Head Roasted Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Flatbread or Small Par-Baked Pizza Crust
1/4 Cup Smoked Julienne Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Chopped Toasted Pecans
Arugula, Pea Shoots, or Mache

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange your sliced mushrooms in a single layer on one or two baking sheets and cook gently, rotating the sheets every 20 minutes or so, for 40 – 60 minutes. At first, the sheets may appear to flood with water, but don’t panic! Allow the mushrooms to continue baking until the liquid has evaporated.
Remove the mushrooms, let cool for 10 minutes before handling, and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Peel all the cloves of garlic and place them in a small bowl with the oil, salt, rosemary, and pepper. Rough mash with a fork until spreadable but still chunky.
Place the flatbread or crust on a clean baking sheet and smear it liberally with the garlic spread. Sprinkle the baked mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and pecans evenly on top. Transfer the whole thing to the oven and bake just until hot and crisp; 8 – 12 minutes.
Finish with a handful of your favorite greens, slice, and serve immediately.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 601Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 872mgCarbohydrates: 100gFiber: 13gSugar: 11gProtein: 18g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

January 18, 2017July 20, 2022

Hannah (BitterSweet)13 Comments

Pie-Eyed

Pie, a beloved comestible known in countless forms across the globe, is as ubiquitous across cultures as it is indefinable. Sweet or savory; open-faced or closed; family-style, or single-serving; ornate, or humble; there is no single definition for the concept of pie, but I think we can agree that all permutations are entirely delicious. Every 14th day of March, otherwise known as Pi Day (3.14,) gives the otherwise mathematically averse a reason to bust out the rolling pins and embrace the pastry of honor.

Food historians generally agree that the earliest pies were more closely related to enriched flatbreads with various toppings than deep-dish desserts, which illuminates the link between pie and yet another universally cherished provision: Pizza. In fact, old school establishments still refer to them as hybrid “pizza-pies.” The lines become increasingly blurry depending on who you ask, the general consensus being that all pizzas are pies, but not all pies are pizzas. Got that?

Nomenclature notwithstanding, I was inspired by my Connecticut roots on this particular Pi Day, recalling the inimitable New Haven invention known as white clam pie. Leave the tomatoes behind and instead load up on the cheese, garlic, and herbs. Adding squishy morsels of seafood into that matrix might sound downright repulsive on paper, but once veganized with briny marinated mushrooms, the combination suddenly makes perfect sense.

Re-imagined as a genuine pastry-clad pie, a flaky pastry crust supports a base of soy ricotta, generously seasoned with satisfying umami flavors. Skewing ratios to favor the filling, what was once a decadent, buttery pastry is now a rich yet balanced dinner entree. Even the thinnest slice will prove surprisingly filling, considering the serious protein packed into every square (or should I say circular?) inch. Though not a perfect mock for mollusks, the cruelty-free clams bear an impressive oceanic flavor profile, adding all the right salty, savory notes.

No doubt, there will be a plethora of crusted wonders for dessert today, but why wait for the last course to begin the festivities? A savory dinner pie will start things rolling in the right direction.

White Clam Pie

Vegan Clams:

1/2 Pound Small Cremini or Button Mushrooms, Quartered
1 Tablespoon Vegan Butter
1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Stock
2 Tablespoons Vegan Fish Sauce
1 Tablespoon Capers
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 Teaspoon Celery Seeds

Okara Ricotta:

1 Cup Plain, Unsweetened Vegan Yogurt
6 – 8 Cloves Roasted Garlic
3/4 Pound Dry Okara*
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped
3 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

For Assembly:

Your Favorite 9-Inch Pie Crust, Rolled and Shaped but Unbaked
Fresh Parsley, Finely Minced
Lemon Zest (Optional)

*If you can’t find okara in local markets and don’t make your own soy milk, you can substitute one 14-ounce container or super-firm tofu instead. Press it for at least two hours to extract as much liquid as possible, and crumble it finely before using.

To prepare the “clams,” begin by melting the vegan butter in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for a few minutes, until softened and aromatic. Introduce the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes to infuse the mushrooms. Uncover, and continue to cook gently until any remaining liquid has evaporated. Discard the bay leaf and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

For the filling, mix together the vegan yogurt and roasted garlic in a large bowl, mashing the cloves thoroughly into a rough paste in the process. If you would like a smoother finished texture, move everything into the bowl of your food processor, but if you’d something with a bit more character, continue stirring by hand. Add in the okara and mix thoroughly to incorporate, being sure to break up any clumps. Introduce all of the remaining ingredients for the ricotta, stirring well until the mixture is is homogeneous. Fold in the mushroom “clams” last.

Transfer the white clam filling into your prepared pie crust and smooth it out into an even layer. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set but slightly wobbly, almost like a firm cheesecake. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Top with freshly chopped parsley and lemon zest, if desired, and enjoy.

This pie is an ideal make-ahead meal, since the flavors only improve with age and it’s easier to slice after it’s had more time to rest. Simply cover and chill after baking for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop it back into the oven at 350 degrees for 10 – 15 minutes, until heated all the way through.

Makes 8 Servings

Printable Recipe

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016

Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

The World is Flat

When it comes to pizza, flatter is simply better. Having been raised on nothing but thin and crispy New York-style crusts, it seems like sacrilege to even consider deviating from that delicious formula. Never has this household seen the likes of deep dish, an abomination of doughy flat bread and vast pools of sauce. Perish the thought! Quite the contrary, the pizzas my dad rolls out for special occasions are so ethereally thin, each slice can sometimes seem like no more than a delicate wafer cracker, brushed with just a whisper of the red stuff. Thus, it’s a scandalous, shameful thing I have done in the name of dough just recently… Forgoing the rolling pin and long waits for the dough to rise, I made a quick and dirty pan pizza.

Lacking the grace of a paper-thin pie, it however makes up for this shortcoming in ease of preparation. Practically instant, there’s no down time waiting for the dough to rise, and you can go from zero to dinner in just about 30 minutes. Pleasantly chewy and sturdy enough to support whatever toppings are piled on, I think there’s room in my heart for this thicker, heftier crust, too.

Inspired by Vegalicious, I found the idea of a super-speedy white sauce completely irresistible, and with a container of plain, unsweetened soy yogurt sitting patiently in the fridge, it was clearly meant to be. Laughably simple yet complex in flavor, it’s subtly cheesy, almost gooey, and all too perfect to keep to myself. Who needs tomatoes on pizza anyway? You’ll forget all about that red spread with this gem of a sauce.

Yield: Makes 2 (9-Inch Round) Pan Pizzas

White Pan Pizza with Mushrooms

Subtly cheesy, gooey, and rich with umami flavor, you'll never believe how quickly homemade pizza can come together.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza Crust:

1/4 Cup Oil, Divided
1 Cup Warm Water
2 Teaspoons Instant Yeast, or 1 1/4-Ounce Package Rapid Rise Yeast
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

White Sauce:

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Plain Vegan Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Tiny Pinch Ground Nutmeg

Toppings:

1/2 Pound Button Mushrooms
1/4 Pound Shiitake Mushrooms
Fresh Parsley or Basil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and use 1 tablespoon in each of 2 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
Place all of the ingredients for the crust into your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or food processor, and start on a low speed or pulse to combine. Once everything is more or less incorporated, allow the machine to run and “knead” the dough for about 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the sauce and toppings.
In a medium bowl, stir together the soy yogurt and spices so that you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Slice the mushrooms and chop your herbs, and then set both aside.
Pull the dough out of the machine, and cut it into two equal pieces. Roll them briefly between the counter and your hands to round out the lumps, and then place one in each of the oiled cake pans. Use your finger tips to smooth the crusts into the bottom of the pans, so that they’re evenly covering the entire bottom. If the dough resists and pulls back, just leave it alone for 5 or 10 minutes and then try shaping it again. Brush 1 tablespoon of oil cross the top of each round of dough, and slide the pans into the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes and pull them back out. Distribute the white sauce equally between the two pizzas, and smooth it evenly across the surface, leaving just a small edge bare so that you can pick up the slices later. Sprinkle your sliced mushrooms on top, and return the two pies to the oven. Bake for 8 more minutes, and then switch to the broiler. Broil for 5 – 8 minutes longer, until the crust is golden brown.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes before sprinkling your fresh herbs on top, slicing, and digging in.

Rolling in Dough

Hungry for some instant gratitude that goes by the name of delivery pizza? It seems to be a food that few stop craving even as the years of childhood are left in the dust, something that 90% of people at a party could easily agree on, and a forbidden temptation for many vegans. Not satisfied to simply report that Sheese did not perform as I had hoped on top of a pita pizza, I racked my brain to figure out a way around such a huge obstacle. In a moment of inspiration, [or perhaps insanity] I began drafting blueprint a on how to reinvent this classic Italian American favorite, and morph it into something that my enthusiastic taste testers could even consider to be an improvement on the original.

Before the fiercely loyal pizza-lovers start to protest and defend their ways, allow me to explain how I ended up with a rolled bun, and not a flat bread at all.

As effortless and comforting as a floppy slice of grease-laden carbohydrate heaven may be, I have a few pet peeves about the traditional pie. The least of these would have to be the clearly un-vegan layer of cheese, often thick enough to smother a small child. Also, what about those portion sizes? Even if the slices are reasonable enough to form an average-sized meal, the leftovers some how never fit quite right into any sort of container in which to preserve them, and foil allows their aromatic scent to impregnate any of the more impressionable food items sharing the same fridge space. Additionally, that labor-intensive crust on which the whole structure is based tends to become a doughy, unpalatable excuse for bread when attempted by popular franchises. Consider it the Wonderbread of pizza; perfect in appearance to the point of looking like plastic, almost completely devoid of nutrition, and akin to swallowing rocks when it comes time for your stomach to digest it. But what is the average person to do, lacking the time to knead their own and then allow it a proper rise? Being somewhat intimidated by yeast and its curious properties myself, my starting point in this adventure was facing the challenge of working with it, and surely enough, it began to work with me.

Wanting to craft a recipe for dough that needed no time to rise, I found that just adding in yeast without giving it any special treatment would provide those lovely flavors present in any real bread, without extra work or worry. Relying on chemical leaveners as well, this hybrid holds its own when asked to do some serious cooking, but is a bit less elastic and forgiving as a traditional pizza dough, so it must be worked gently.

Rolling it up with shredded vegan cheese safely tucked inside prevents it from burning in the oven, while still melting in your mouth. Once baked, they can be eaten on the side to make room for a more varied meal, and then frozen to easily enjoy later. No awkward wrapping here; they should easily fit in the average Tupperware container.

Consider it the pizza of the future; vegan, delicious, perfectly portable, and decidedly un-greasy. What’s not to like about that?

Yield: Makes 12 - 14 Rolls

Pizza Rolls

Prepared with an effortless pizza dough recipe, these vegan pizza rolls are an instant crowd-pleaser.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 Cup Plain, Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
1 Packet (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Vegan Butter
1/3 Cup Pizza Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
3 Ounces Shredded Mozzarella-Style Vegan Cheese
Marinara Sauce, to Serve (Optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Heat the non-dairy milk in a microwave-safe dish for just about a minute in order to warm it through. Add in the yeast and let sit. While those two ingredients become better acquainted, in a separate bowl, combine both flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter in, and make sure to chop all of the fat into the smallest pieces you can manage, so they are completely coated in the dry ingredients to make fine crumbs.
Pour in the milk mixture, and stir it all together so that it all forms a cohesive, but still rather moist dough.
This is where things get sticky. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface, flouring your hands lightly as well so that you can manually pat it out into a rectangle measuring somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 x 8 inches. Being such a loose dough, it won’t play nicely with a rolling pin, so you just need to poke and prod it into shape with your hands.
Once you achieve a satisfactory rectangle, spread the pizza sauce over it, going most of the way to the edges but leaving perhaps a centimeter uncovered all around. Sprinkle the garlic powder over it, followed by the shredded cheese. Try to cover the surface evenly.
Finally, you’re ready to roll! Gently roll up the dough from the long side, moving with care and without stretching or pulling the cylinder.
Once you have a nice log, cut 1-inch pieces with a sharp knife, using a sawing motion and as little downward pressure as you can muster to prevent the rolls from becoming smushed.
Move the rolls to one or two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. You should space them out to about 9 per sheet so that they have room to spread. Reshape gently if necessary, and bake for 13 – 17 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy warm or reheat in a toaster oven later.
Dip into or top with marinara sauce, if desired.

Pizza Party!

At long last, you can enjoy your very own slice of knit pizza!

Now, this is my very first pattern, so if there are any errors or confusing bits, please let me know and I’ll do my best to clarify. In addition, I would appreciate it greatly if you would only make these for yourself and your friends, without selling the finished product or pattern, seeing as it came from the vapid expanses of my own head. …So what are you waiting for, get knitting!

Crust

With US #7 needles and tan yarn, CO 20

Row 1 and all other odd-numbered rows, unless otherwise noted: P

Row 2 and 4: K1, kfb, k all stitches until last 2, kfb, k1

Row 6 and 8: K

Row 10 and 12: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 14 and 16: K

Row 18: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 20: K

Row 22: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 24 and 26: K

Row 28: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 30: K

Row 32: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 34: K

Row 36: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 38: K

Row 40 and 42: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 44: K1, k2tog, ssk, k1

Row 46: K1, k2tog, k1

Row 47: K3tog, Tie off.

To make up the crust, fold over the top of the triangle you just knit, aligning sides so that the increases and decreases match. Hand-sew this flap down, WS facing (the bottom of your pizza will have the smooth side of the stockinet stitch, and all of the bumpy side will eventually be covered by the other pieces.)

Sauce / Cheese

To achieve the correct coloration, please refer to the color chart below for the first four rows, continuing in yellow after it is completed.

CO 20

Row 1, and all other odd rows, unless otherwise noted: P

Row 2: K

Row 4: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 6: K

Row 8: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 10 and 12: K

Row 14: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 16: K

Row 18: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 20: K

Row 22: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 24: K

Row 26 and 28: K1, k2tog, k all stitches until last 3, ssk, k1

Row 30: K

Row 32: K1, k2tog, ssk, k1

Row 34: K1, k2tog, k1

Row 35: K3tog, Tie off.

Mushroom

Switching over to US #4 needles for the toppings, in a light cream yarn, CO 2

Row 1 and all other odd rows: P

Row 2: K

Row 4: Kfb, kfb

Row 6: Kfb, k2, kfb

Row 8: K

Row 10: P2tog, p2, p2tog

With darker brown yarn, hand-embroider the details of the bottom of the mushroom cap, referring to the photo if necessary.

Onion

In white yarn, CO 16

Row 1: K2tog across

*For alternate toppings, the technique for the onion can easily make peppers, using either green or red yarn instead of the white.

To assemble: First, weave in ends on all the toppings and sew them securely to the cheese piece in whatever arrangement pleases you. Then smooth out the sides of the sauce / cheese piece (the edges will want to curl, as with any piece knit in stockinet) and align the sides evenly with that of your crust. With WS together, (both RS’s should be outwards and visible) whip stitch the edges together with the crust color, and be sure to also sew down the top part near the folded edge of the crust. Tie tight, and hide the ends underneath the cheese.

Enjoy, but don’t eat!

*Or, go share a slice and see the pizza that other crafty bloggers knit up at…

Blah, Blah, Blahhhg

April 27, 2006July 20, 2022

Hannah (BitterSweet)35 Comments