Triple Mushroom Pizza

I never got the concept of putting raw mushrooms on pizza (or in a salad for that matter).  As much as I love mushrooms, I can't stand what is usually sold as "mushroom pizza" in the US.  But this is not that kind of pizza.  I don't even know if it's technically a pizza at all, but whatever it is, it's wicked good.  I had some mushroom duxelles (finely minced mushroom mixture) left over, and some pizza dough left over.  As usually happens when one leftover meets another leftover, sparks fly, and something yummy is born.  Since I am a mushroom addict, I have 3 layers of mushroominess in my duxelles -- portabellas, porcini liquid, and truffle oil.  I didn't bother with cheese for this pizza.  Instead, I dressed some arugula with a truffle vinaigrette and spread it on top of the pizza before serving.  To keep it from falling off, I folded two pieces of pizza together to make the world's most mushroomy sandwich.  Oh, mushrooms -- what is it about you that make you taste like a controlled substance?

It almost made me wish I had a cute little cafe, so that I could share this sandwich with all the mushroom lovers.  But then I kicked myself and remembered that I would have to do back breaking work for minimum wage with no break for holidays or weekends.  

Triple Mushroom Pizza

Serves 1-2

Overall plan:

1. 1-2 days before serving, make the dough and mushroom duxelles.  Refrigerate both until ready to use.
2. When ready to serve, preheat the oven and pizza stone for 30 minutes. Stretch out the pizza dough, spread the mushroom duxelles on top and bake (see instructions in the dough post for how to do all this)
3. While the pizza is baking, make arugula salad.  
4. When the pizza is ready, cut it, pile the salad on top and serve.

Ingredients:

1 batch Pizza Dough

For Mushroom Duxelles

1/2 oz dry porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 cup)

2 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp dry white wine

2 Tbsp heavy cream

1/2 tsp truffle oil (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

For Arugula Salad

2 tsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp truffle oil (optional)

2 cups loosely packed arugula

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Mushroom Duxelles

1. In a small bowl, combine dry porcini mushrooms with 2/3 cup boiling water.  Stir and let sit for 30 minutes while preparing portabellas.
2. Wash and dry the portabellas.  Cut into 1/2 inch dice.  Set a 10-12 inch skillet with 2 Tbsp olive oil over high heat.  The hot, add portabellas and a generous pinch of salt.  Stir well and have a cover for the skillet handy.  Add the wine and immediately cover the skillet.  Turn the heat down to medium and cook until mushrooms release a lot of liquid, 8-10 minutes.  
3. Uncover the skillet, stir the mushrooms, and cook until all the liquid evaporates.  Continue to cook stirring occasionally until many surfaces are brown, 8-12 minutes.  Don't stir too often or mushrooms won't brown.  
4. Line a sieve or colander with a damp paper towel and strain the porcini liquid into the skillet with portabella.  You need the paper towel to catch the grit.  Press on the porcini to get as much liquid out of them as possible.  Reserve them for another use or discard.  They are usually very gritty and cleaning them is a pain so I usually discard them.  All they aroma and wonderful flavor will be in the liquid.  
5. Continue to cook portabellas stirring occasionally until the porcini liquid is almost gone (it will become a sort of syrupy glaze).  
6. Cool portabellas slightly, add 2 Tbsp cream and 1/2 tsp truffle oil and puree using a food processor or immersion blender (if using immersion blender, move them to some narrow tall container.  don't puree in a skillet).
7. Taste for salt and pepper and add as necessary.  

The mushroom mixture can be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 3 days.  It will solidify in the fridge.  To make it easier to spread, warm up in the microwave just until warm, but not hot.

Arugula Salad

1. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil and truffle oil and whisk vigorously right before using.  
2. Put arugula in a bowl with plenty of room to mix.  Drizzle with half the dressing (from step 1), sprinkle with salt and pepper and use your hand to toss well.  Taste and add more dressing and salt as necessary.