Pizza with Artichokes, Pancetta and Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 each 7-oz. Wood Stone Dough balls

• 2 lg. artichokes, pared down to the heart with the choke removed, cut into 8 wedges each, held in a bowl of water with a lemon squeezed into it

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 4 oz. pancetta, thinly sliced

• 4 oz. mozzarella, grated

• 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Preparation

Oven Temperature: 550-580 degrees

Flame Height: 4

Toss artichoke wedges with olive oil, salt and pepper in a shallow skillet and roast in the center of the oven for about 5 minutes until lightly caramelized and cooked through.

Place circles of sliced pancetta on a sheet pan and cook in the center of the oven for about 3 or 4 minutes, rotating the pan as necessary to crisp evenly. Drain on paper towels.

To assemble pizza, distribute about 1/3 of the mozzarella over each crust. Scatter the artichoke slices evenly and crumble the pancetta over them. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and distribute the remaining cheese.

Flame Height: 3.6

Transfer the pizza onto the loading peel and land it just inside the doorway. Once the pizza begins to color nicely on the side closest to the flame (about 2-3 minutes), rotate the pizza 180-degrees using the utility peel and move it closer to the flame. Once the side closest to the flame begins to brown, and the top and bottom of the pizza are evenly colored (30 seconds to 1 minute), remove the pizza from the oven using the utility peel. Transfer the pizza to a cooling screen for about 1 minute to prevent steaming and then move it to a cutting board to slice.

Smoked Salmon Goat Cheese Pizza

Here is our take on this time-tested recipe; clean, simple and delicious!

Ingredients

2 each 7-oz. Wood Stone Dough balls
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 oz. semi-soft goat cheese, sliced or crumbled (Bucheron is a good choice)
2 Tbsp. shallots, finely minced
freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. smoked salmon, thinly sliced or crumbled
2 Tbsp. fresh dill leaves or chopped chives

Preparation

Oven Temperature: 550-580 degrees

1. Mix the goat cheese with the shallots.

2. To assemble pizza, drizzle the crusts with the olive oil and evenly distribute the cheese mixture. Top with a few grindings of black pepper.

3. Flame Height: 3.6

4. Transfer the pizza onto the loading peel and land it just inside the doorway. Once the pizza begins to color nicely on the side closest to the flame (about 2-3 minutes), rotate the pizza 180-degrees using the utility peel and move it closer to the flame. Once the side closest to the flame begins to brown, and the top and bottom of the pizza are evenly colored (30 seconds to 1 minute), remove the pizza from the oven using the utility peel. Transfer the pizza to a cooling screen for about 1 minute to prevent steaming and then move it to a cutting board to slice.

5. Top with smoked salmon and sprinkle with dill leaves before slicing.

Creamy Green Beans, Onions and Mushrooms Wood Stone Style

Ingredients

3 ea. sweet onions such as Walla Walla, cut into 1/2-in. thick wedges
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 ea. bay leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb. green beans
1/2 lb. mushrooms

Preparation

Oven Temperature: 480-520 degrees F

1. In a large pot or baking dish with a lid, mix the onions, cream, 1 Tbsp. of the salt, the thyme, cayenne and bay leaves.

2. Flame Height: 4

3. Place the pan in the center of the oven and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the liquid starts to bubble and the onion tips are starting to brown. Cover and let braise for 20 minutes.

4. While the onions are cooking, heat a large cast iron skillet in front of the flame for 5 minutes. Add the oil and mushrooms and stir.

5. Roast the mushrooms in front of the flame for 3-5 minutes until they begin to brown.

6. Add the beans and remaining salt and stir. Continue to roast in front of the flame for 2-3 minutes, again just to get a little color on the beans.

7. When the onions are done, add the beans and mushrooms to them, stir and return to the center of the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the beans are tender and the whole thing is bubbling.

Spiced Duck Breast with Roasted Figs

Ingredients

8 ea. duck breast halves, boneless (about 7oz. ea.) or 4 Muscovy duck breast halves
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
2 ea. juniper berries
2 ea. allspice berries
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. orange zest, grated
Olive oil
Roasted Figs

Preparation

Oven Temperature: 550-575 degrees F

1. Score the skin of each duck breast in a cross-hatched fashion in 1/4 -1/2 -in. intervals. Be sure to score just the skin and avoid cutting into the meat.

2. Grind fennel, peppercorns, coriander, juniper, and allspice in a spice grinder. Mix with salt and orange zest. Sprinkle mixture over both sides of duck breasts and let sit for at least 20 minutes. You may also cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

3. Flame Height: 3.6

4. Preheat two 10-in. cast iron skillets in center of the oven for 5 minutes. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of each pan.

5. Flame Height: 3

6. Place 4 breast halves in each skillet, skin side down.

7. Return pans to center of the oven to sear the skin and render most of the fat. This should take 3-4 minutes. You want it to be nicely browned on the skin side.

8. Turn breasts over, move the pan closer to the flame and continue cooking 1-2 more minutes, or until just springy to the touch.  (If using Muscovey duck, it will take about 5 minutes per side, cooking completely in the center of the oven.)

9. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

We like Maple Leaf Farms duck breasts.

It’s nice to slice the duck on the diagonal about 1/8-in. thick, and fan each half breast slightly on individual plates.

Also, if figs are out of season, try this with the Fennel Citrus Salsa instead!

Fennel Citrus Salsa

Ingredients

1 each fennel bulb, very thinly sliced, core discarded
3 each oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit or other citrus, peeled and sectioned
½ small red onion, sliced paper thin
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Champagne vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Preparation

Mix all ingredients together and serve chilled.

Pecan and Apple Bread Stuffing

Ingredients

1 loaf rustic bread, cut into 1-in. dice
4 oz. butter
2 med. onions, chopped
2 ea. Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. dice
1 1/2 cups pecans, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sage leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Preparation

Oven Temperature: 475-500 degrees F.

1. Flame Height: 3

2. Spread bread cubes on a sturdy baking sheet and toast just inside the doorway of the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until they are fairly dry and just lightly browned.

3. In a large skillet melt the butter just inside the doorway. Add the onions and sauté in the center of the oven for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the apples and pecans and cook 2 more minutes in the center of the oven.

4. In a large bowl, combine the bread with the onion mixture. Add the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Add enough stock to moisten well. If you are going to bake stuffing inside a turkey, be sure to cool it completely.

5. Flame Height: 2.8

6. If you are baking the stuffing separately, add a little more stock. Transfer stuffing to a baking dish and cover with foil. Place in the center of the doorway and bake for 20 minutes, rotate after 10 minutes.

7. Remove foil and finish baking in the center of the oven for 3-5 minutes or until browned on top.