The Daily Grind, Chop and Fry

Another holiday is right around the corner, and this one stars a big, dead bird. Even when I was a kid, I loved all of the dishes that went along with the turkey but the turkey itself, not so much. For many vegetarians, family Thanksgiving meals still consist largely of side dishes, and if they are delicious, that can be more than enough. But it always feels a little incomplete to me, and I’m still searching for the one thing to put on the plate that really makes the meal special.

My photography can be terrible. This dish looks so much better than this. If anyone wants to get me a good DSLR for Christmas, go right ahead!

I tried this recipe out as a candidate to fill that spot. In my opinion it isn’t quite right for a few reasons, but it is really delicious and worth making, even for company. The gnocchi is a little time-consuming, but once you’ve finished that, the rest of the dish comes together in a snap. The mushrooms and spinach are in a really tasty broth, which is novel, and the gnocchi themselves could also be served with a sage butter sauce, and I’m going to try a savory sauce with cranberries and walnuts some time soon. And I’ll leave off the cheese at the end next time, but my family insisted. Next time, I will prevail! Use a good stock, home made if possible, for this dish.

I wouldn’t ordinarily post this, since it is a recipe from Sunset Magazine and I didn’t alter it, but the instructions on their site are really lacking. The original recipe is here, but I’m posting it with clear instructions. The recipe makes a lot of gnocchi – it says it serves 12 – so you could halve it, but it would freeze really well and you’d be glad to have it later.

Total: 3 hours
Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients

Gnocchi
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
3 pounds orange-flesh sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
About 3 cups flour
Broth
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1 pound mixed mushrooms such as chanterelle, cremini, king trumpet, matsutake, and oyster*
2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons butter
12 ounces baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

To make gnocchi:

If Ricotta cheese is wet, drain in a strainer over sink, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour.

Peel, cube and boil sweet potatoes until flesh is soft, approx. 15 mins. Drain well and puree in food processor or blender.

If you have a stand or hand mixer, use it here. Just go easy with the beaters – keep it on low. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups sweet- potato purée (save extra for another use), strained ricotta, sugar, cheese, salt, and nutmeg. Gently stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.

Working on a floured surface, divide dough into 8 portions. Roll each portion with your hands into a 15-in. rope, then cut into 1-in. pieces, sprinkling dough with flour if it gets sticky. Transfer gnocchi to a rimmed tray lightly dusted with flour.

Bring one or two large pots of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Working in batches of 15 to 20, drop gnocchi into water, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook until gnocchi are firm and float to top of water, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a strainer and then to a lightly oiled rimmed pan to cool. If you have time, it is best to plunge the gnocchi in cold water to stop the cooking. Do not allow the gnocchi to touch and stick together while cooling.

Assemble gnocchi: Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add gnocchi to pan and cook, stirring often, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large serving dish.

To make broth:

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp. oil in a second large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic and shallots until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, butter, spinach, thyme, salt, and pepper; cover and cook until spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.

Spoon vegetables over gnocchi and pour in broth.

*Leave whole any soft mushrooms such as oysters and slice or quarter large, dense mushrooms like the cremini and king trumpets.

Make ahead: Prepare through step 3. Cover and chill up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 weeks.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
364 (31% from fat)
Protein:
14g
Fat:
13g (sat 5.3)
Carbohydrate:
49g
Fiber:
4.2g
Sodium:
1021mg
Cholesterol:
24mg