A Perfect Fall Meal

Another Challenge recipe from the Four Seasons Cookbook…after our last debacle (which luckily, we were able to save with some Captain Morgan’s – in the dish, not us, believe it or not - a can of coconut milk and a LOT of curry powder), we haven’t been very good at keeping up with our 3 recipes a week goal in order to get through the book within a year.

But then I found these gorgeous white chanterelle mushrooms from my favorite market vendor (whose name is Freeman, I found out this weekend). Thus, the cookbook came out, and lo and behold, we were able to put together a perfect fall meal: Mushroom and Pancetta Pizzas and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Walnuts. The pizzas are tasty and crispy, and go perfectly with this simple, rustic, and low-fat soup.

Mushroom and Pancetta Pizzas
from The Four Season’s Cookbook, by Shirley Gill
Serves 4.

For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dried yeast
2 tbsp. Olive oil
2/3 cup warm water

For the topping:
4 tbsp. Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 oz. Wild mushrooms
3 oz. Pancetta, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. Chopped fresh oregano
3 tbsp. Grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. To make the crusts, put the flour, salt, and yeast into a bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Measure 2/3 cup warm water and add the olive oil to this. Add the water and oil to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until mixed. Loving Boyfriend, who made the pizzas for us, contends that he would add some dried oregano and rosemary to the dough next time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place, and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (You could start the soup now.)

2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into four pieces. Roll out each piece of dough thinly into a 5 inch round. Place the pizza bases on a lightly greased baking sheet and set aside. Alternatively, you could dress the pizzas and then cook them on a hot pizza stone, as we did.

3. Preheat the oven to 425F. Heat 2 tbsp. Of oil in a frying pan and gently fry the mushrooms and garlic until tender. Season, then cool.

4. Brush the pizzas with 1 tbsp. Oil, then spoon the mushroom/garlic mixture onto each pizza. Scatter the pancetta and oregano over the mixture, then sprinkle with parmesan. Drizzle over remaining oil. Bake 10-15 minutes or until crisp.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Walnuts, from Cooking Light
Makes 8 one-cup servings.

8 cups cubed (1 inch) butternut squash – about a 2 1/4 lb. Squash
1 1/2 tsp. Olive oil
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper, divided
cooking spray
4 cups warm 2% milk, divided
14 oz. of homemade chicken stock – or commercial chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Combine squash, oil, 1/4 tsp. Salt, and 1/4 tsp. Pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender (no need to stir unless sides begin to burn – you want the brown edges).
3. Place 1/2 squash, 1/2 the milk and 1/2 the chicken stock into a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan. Repeat with remaining squash, milk and stock. Heat gently over medium heat for 5 minutes or until warm (do not let boil). Stir in remaining salt and pepper. Ladle into warmed bowls, then sprinkle each with 1 1/2 tsp. nuts.