Naan Pizza with Mushroom Butter & Burnt Corn & Green Onion Spread

Chef Deepa Shridhar brings two naan pizza variations to life with signature spreads that meld South Indian and Texas flavors.

"So now, here in Texas, proudly made with Barton Springs Mill flours, I bring you a collection of breads from my childhood and many others like mine: naan, roti, ajwain paratha. I hope you enjoy this collection, breads made for many uses: pizzas, dishes sturdy enough for curries, and flavors delicate in taste and texture."

Recipes by Chef Deepa Shridhar 

Mushroom Butter

5 Lbs mushroom, the more complicated the better

7 shallots, sliced

A whole head of garlic, peeled

12 dried Arbol chilies

4 dried Pasilla peppers

2 teaspoons MSG

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons honey

1.5 tablespoons Aleppo pepper

2 sticks of butter

Oil to sauté, roast and fry

1 lemon, juiced

1 cup of tamarind water

1 teaspoon of lime leaf powder

Salt to taste

Method:
In a large cast iron skillet or a baking sheet, lay the mushrooms as flat as possible and add a drizzle of oil and salt. Roast in a 420°F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Fry the shallots in oil until slightly crispy, and dry roast the chiles and garlic on the stove. Add it all to your mushroom pan. Add the spices and tamarind water.  Soften the two sticks of butter and add, mixing thoroughly. In batches, process all of the ingredients in a food processor, then add the honey and salt to taste. Store in clean jars or containers, use on everything.

Burnt Corn & Green Onion Spread

5 oz of Paneer 

8 oz of whole milk Ricotta 

1 corn on the cob 

3 oz of butter, softened  

5-7 stalks of green onion 

Salt to taste 

Method:
In a very hot cast iron skillet, place the green onions flat. Sear on each side, for about two minutes per side. Under cold water, peel the outside skin and preserve the tender white stalk, mince the green tops, and set aside. 

In the same cast iron, char the corn on each side, around 3 minutes each side. With a knife, hold the end of the cob, standing the corn vertically and slide the knife against the cob to release the kernels. Immediately mix with the room temperature butter. 

In a food processor, pulverize the whites of the onions, add the corn butter, and mix thoroughly. Add the ricotta and paneer and blend until almost smooth. Add in the minced green onion tops and salt to taste. Perfect as a spread on naan for pizza or in tandem with the mushroom butter.