Pizza Today - January 2016 - 42

* Saffron onions instead of caramelized onions. Yes! Saffron is one of

the most expensive spices in the world
(I would always see my executive chefs
locking saffron up in a safe) at $43.50 an
ounce. Using only 1/8th of an ounce with
onion, olive oil and water, you can blast a
cheap saffron bombshell across any pizza
creating a yellow brick road of flavor back
to Kansas, Spain!
* Smoked tomato instead of marinara. I take my canned pear tomatoes

and cold-smoke them in my smoker with
Applewood chips for a tomato "confit"
with extra-virgin olive oil. This is a great
treat on any pizza with aged mozzarella,
beef, roasted red peppers, Gorgonzola,
Asiago or any spicy topping like jalapeño,
chipotle or even with Serrano cured ham.
* Pine nuts instead of walnuts.

At $1.12 an ounce, these are expensive
- but the flavor profile of these toasted
little orbs of wonder can send shock
waves of pleasure, especially when
paired with maple syrup or sugared for a
crunchy brittle.
* Mandarin orange instead of
pineapple. These are only $3.57 for a

#10 can, that's only 7 cents an ounce (the
same as pineapple). I use them with every
Asian pizza on my menu and they are
very tasty with ham, provolone, pine nuts,
feta and cream sauces as well as teriyaki,
chicken and barbecue sauce.

* Persimmon jam instead of fig
jam. Persimmons grow everywhere and

their bright orange color stays strong
even after freezing. In the fall, I just get
a few quarts, take the seeds out while
smashing the pulp, add water and stir
into a wonderful jam. This enhances the
"agra dolce" effect of any pizza when
using Gorgonzola, Stilton, aged hard
cheeses and is outstanding with nuts,
arugula, prosciutto and tahini.
* Dried porcini mushrooms: Dried
porcini's can be obtained for $2 to $2.25
an ounce. I pour very hot water to just
cover dried porcinis in a small lexan to
rehydrate the mushroom. This liquid
is pure umami/mushroom flavor and

4 2 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / J A N UA R Y 2 0 1 6

heightens the flavor and color of button
mushrooms for a wild mushroom experience without the expense. By using a
spice grinder and only ½ an ounce of this
dust infused with soft cheeses, Parmesan
and white truffle oil, it makes a magnificent finishing pudding and crumble.

Ghost Chili Honey
Using gloves, cut a ghost chili at the top.
Remove the stem with scissors, then cut
into six strips downward. Place three cups
of honey into a small sauté pan and turn
the burner on the lowest setting. Place the
chili strips into the honey and heat to 120 F,
checking frequently and stirring with a small
spoon. Immediately turn off the heat and
let set stirring again. Place the strips into a
container with the honey to macerate. The
heat will build over the next week as the
oils leave the strips. (Note: Do not lean over
the sink when washing equipment that has
touched hot chilies. The steam will make you
feel like dying.)

Quick Chorizo Recipe
2 pounds fatty ground pork
4 tablespoons smoked paprika (regular
paprika is cheaper but can be astringent)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (this
is optional and is added for more
"meltability" and less dryness on pizza,
especially if using a conveyor oven)
Mix all ingredients and wrap tightly
overnight to meld flavors. When ready, add
approximately 6 ounces per pizza, squeezing
the raw chorizo in 'coins' the size of quarters
or nickels or pre-cook into crumbles. Just
make sure it doesn't dry out. (You can add
smoked paprika infused olive oil to each
pre-cooked batch.)

Easy Artisan
Chévre Pudding
This is a fantastic finish to pizza because
chévre stands up well to heat, just melting
enough to fall in love with. Once you get the
perfect flavor profile between herb, cheese
and cooked pie, you are guaranteed a home
run.
Chopped chives, mint, scallion, basil,
rosemary, pepper flakes, roasted
garlic,
One log of chévre cheese
Vegan mozzarella (Melting Profile)
2.5 cups raw, organic cashews
1 and a quarter cup tapioca flour
7 garlic cloves, minced very fine
9 cups heated hot water
1 cup heated unsweetened almond milk
Juice from 2 whole organic lemons,
(3.5 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons salt
In a large bowl, whisk the room
temperature chévre and the herb of your
choice into a cream of the appropriate
consistency. If you need a silkier crema,
add cream, ricotta or mascarpone.
Presoak the cashews for at least 24 hours,
changing the water twice during this time.
Heat the water and almond milk up in the
same pan. While the water is heating, add all
other ingredients to a high speed blender,
(vita mix) or food processor. (This recipe will
fill a normal food processor to the top so be
careful).
Just before boiling, add the water-almond
milk mix slowly to the blender a little at a
time while intermittently mixing on high.
Blend the vegan cheese broth for at least
3 minutes to incorporate the ingredients.
Pour the mix into a pan at medium-high
heat and toss with a large spatula. (At this
point, be ready to stand in front of your
burner for up to 30 to 45 minutes. Please
remember, you must constantly mix this
to both release the moisture and cook the
tapioca!
As the cheese congeals, it will seem like
cooking a large pan of scrambled eggs. Acting quickly, gently scrape the bottom of the
pan and toss the cooked cheese with the
liquid. DO NOT BURN THE CHEESE.
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Pizza Today - January 2016

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