Assorted Mushrooms Pizza

Yesterday, I went to H Mart, the Korean grocery store. My friend and I spent more than half of our day in the store to pick all kinds of vegetables. My friend is a Caucasian American, and she had all kinds of questions about the varieties of Asian food that are sold in the store. We had a good time. I bought different kinds of mushrooms. I think this Korean grocery carries very good mushrooms that I enjoy. I love mushrooms for more than the taste; mushrooms are very healthy to add into our meals daily. However, it could be very expensive if purchased in an American store. Therefore, every time I go to the Korean store, I am like a kid in the candy store. I already am thinking about different recipes that I can prepare with these assorted mushrooms. The mushrooms go very well with rosemary, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, and that is the sauce base for the recipe presented here. This simple infused  oil can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for use in a variety of recipes. Today, is Super Bowl Sunday, and making mushrooms pizza is a good choice for dinner while watching the game. Of course, someone has to do the cooking; well it should be me!

Ingredients:
Four single-serve, 6 inch diameter or two 12 inch diameter pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
1 1/2 lbs assorted fresh mushrooms: king oyster, shitake, champions, and button, sliced
1 large shallot, sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned
1 cup five cheese mix (Costco brand) or whatever cheese you choose

Lemon rosemary oil:
1 lemon, sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 cup olive oil

I used to work for California Pizza Kitchen so I know quite well how to handle the dough. It needs some experience to stretch the dough by hand, or you can use a roller pin to help you. It will not affect the taste of the pizza one way or the other.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°, and heat a pizza stone for one hour before cooking the pizza.
In a small saucepan, heat until hot. Pour the olive oil and add the rest of the lemon rosemary oil ingredients and reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

 Remove from the heat and let the herbs steep in this oil until cool. Drain the oil, discard the lemon and rosemary, keep the garlic (if you like) and mash the garlic for extra flavor for the pizza. Pour the oil into a clean jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator.
In a large sauté pan, add 2 tbs oil.

Add shallot and cook until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and cook until wilted (about 5 to 7 minutes). Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes, and cayenne. Let cool.

Lightly sprinkle cornmeal, semolina, or all-purpose flour over the pizza peel, wooden or metal.

 

Arrange the stretched dough over the floured peel surface. Work quickly one pizza at a time.
Brush lemon-rosemary oil over the surface of the prepared pizza dough, within the edges.

 

 

 

 

 

Distribute about 1/4 cup sliced red onions over the oil, then 1/4 cup of cheese, and then 1/2 cup of cooked mushrooms.  Add about 1/4 cup of cheese over the mushrooms.

  Repeat with the second pizza if you can handle two pizzas in your oven. Transfer the pizza to the oven; bake until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese at the center is bubbly (about 12 to 16 minutes).

 

 Sprinkle with fresh julienned basil and serve.