Food: Meyer Lemon Gnocchi with Chicken and Asparagus

What could be better than soft potato pillows with a hint of citrus? What am I talking about, you ask? Warm potato gnocchi spiked with a hint of Meyer lemon.

If you've only ever had gnocchi out of the box (i.e. dried) or at restaurants who don't make it from scratch, you really, really, really must try the homemade version. Believe me...it's a completely different flavor and texture. There really is no comparison. Also, if you've never cooked with Meyer lemons and wonder what's so special about them...Meyer's are sweeter than regular lemons and have a thinner peel. Also, instead of being yellow they come dressed in a warm, almost egg-yolk hue. They're believed to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange (so they get their sweetness and orange coloring from the mandarins).

I've made gnocchi before (For example, here's a sweet potato gnocchi recipe I posted on here last year). But this recipe is slightly different due to Steve Corry's technique for making the dough, which keeps the gnocchi super tender and pillowy. I also love his one-pan technique since it helps cut down on the mess you make on the counter top :)

Besides boiling the dough, this recipe toasts the gnocchi in a pan afterwards. The results are wonderful - crisp, lovely, browned sides reminiscent of a heavenly potato-cake...a light as air dumpling with a slight pan-seared crunch on the outside and soft goodness on the inside.

I did make a few modifications to the original recipe. I cut down the amount of butter and added chicken and asparagus to make a more complete meal. If you're worried about not being delicate enough in your efforts to combine the chicken and asparagus with the tender gnocchi, feel free to grill the chicken breasts whole, cook the asparagus as spears, and serve as three separate items on the plate.

This recipe does have a lot of steps and it is time consuming...but it's well worth it in the end. You do dirty a lot of pans, and I apologize for that. So if you're going to make anything, at least make the gnocchi...chicken and asparagus can be any time :) And, if it helps, you should be able to make the gnocchi dough in advance. Maybe you'll want to make it in the morning and have it ready to go in the refrigerator when you get home from work. That would reduce the workload significantly.

Meyer Lemon Gnocchi with Chicken & Asparagus

Adapted from Food & Wine

SPECIAL TOOLS: Potato Ricer

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3 large egg yolks
• Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
• 2 T plus 1 t extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t salt
• 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, chilled
• Juice from 1 Meyer lemon
• 1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 2 inch chunks
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

• In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes (MM Tip: Super tender potatoes is key for potato ricer ease of use). Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and shake over medium heat until dry.
• Working over a large rimmed baking sheet, rice the hot potatoes in an even layer. Whisk the egg yolks, lemon zest, olive oil and 1 t salt in a small bowl and pour over potatoes. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and stir gently until a soft dough forms.
• Gently roll the dough into 4, 1-inch long ropes. Using a sharp knife, cut each rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges. Transfer the gnocchi to another baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• In a large stockpot or French oven, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the butter, a few pieces at a time, until the sauce is creamy. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour into a glass measuring cup and set aside. (Keep this saucepan out for future use).
• On a plate, season the chicken breast pieces with salt, pepper, and 1 t coriander. Add 1 T vegetable oil to a large, non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning 1-2 times during cooking process until cooked through. Remove from skillet and add to pot used for chicken broth. Set aside. (You may want to wash/dry the skillet to re-use for toasting the gnocchi).
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi until they rise to the surface. Drain and toss with olive oil, and transfer to a baking sheet until cool.
• In a small skillet, add a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside.
• In the large, non-stick skillet, add half of the gnocchi and cook in a single layer over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the pan containing the chicken and repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
• Reheat the sauce, pour it over the gnocchi and chicken, heating the pan over low heat. Gently toss in the asparagus and parsley right before serving (I like using a French oven for this since it keeps the dish nicely heated when on low heat...in case anyone wants a second helping).

Food: Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Pork Tenderloin

Do I have a treat for all of you today! Not only am I sharing two absolutely delicious recipes, but my sister has deemed this to be her "new favorite meal." Both of these dishes would make a great menu for a low-pressure dinner party since the gnocchi can be made in advance and the pork is relatively low-maintenance. The gnocchi is soft, warm, sweet, and pillowy (although my lesson learned is to use half of the butter the recipe called for since the gnocchi has plenty of moisture on its own). The pork is salty and moist and works very well with the sweetness of the soft onions and the crunchy texture of the green beans. And if you aren't having a dinner party both the pork and the gnocchi make wonderful leftovers.

(My mom and sister are pictured below with the gnocchi...they did a great job!)

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage
From: Bon Appétit - December 2005

Ingredients
2, 1-pound red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), rinsed, patted dry, pierced all over with fork
1, 12-ounce container fresh ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 3/4 cups (about) all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (MM Note: The gnocchi are so light and airy I felt this was actually too much oil. Next time I make the dish I plan to cut the amount of butter in half.)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh sage plus whole leaves for garnish


Directions

• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potatoes on plate; microwave on high until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Cut in half and cool.
• Scrape sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and mash; transfer 3 cups to large bowl. Add ricotta cheese; blend well. Add Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and nutmeg; mash to blend. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface; divide into 6 equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into 20-inch-long rope (about 1 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky. Cut each rope into 20 pieces. Roll each piece over tines of fork to indent. Transfer to baking sheet.
• Bring large pot of water to boil; add 2 tablespoons salt and return to boil. Working in batches, boil gnocchi until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to clean rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until butter solids are brown and have toasty aroma, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  Add chopped sage (mixture will bubble up). Turn off heat. Season sage butter generously with salt and pepper.
• Transfer half of sage butter to large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half of gnocchi. Sauté until gnocchi are heated through, about 6 minutes. Empty skillet onto rimmed baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining sage butter and gnocchi.
• Divide gnocchi and sauce among shallow bowls. Garnish with sage leaves.

Sweet and Salty Pork Rib Roasts by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
MM Note: Food & Wine also listed a spicy broth to serve with this dish. Since I felt there were plenty of flavors going on, we served the pork without this added step.

Ingredients
PORK
1 quart water
1 cups soy sauce (MM Note: Modified from 2 cups; Recommend to use low-sodium due to adding salt)
1/2 cup pure Grade B maple syrup (MM Note: Modified from 1 cup)
1/8 cup kosher salt (MM Note: Modified from 1/4 cup)
Two 5-bone pork rib roasts, about 4 pounds each (MM Note: I used boneless pork tenderloins, which worked perfectly!)

ONIONS
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large head of garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced
1 fresh red Thai chile with seeds, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound thin green beans

Directions

• Prepare the Pork: In a large nonreactive pot, mix the water with the soy sauce, maple syrup and salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the pork rib roasts and refrigerate for 2 hours. Light a grill. Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Grill over medium heat, turning several times, until lightly charred all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 50-60 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150° when inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Transfer the pork to a carving board to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the onions: In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic and chile, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened but not browned, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Stir the green beans into the onions. Cover and cook over moderate heat until warmed through.
• Transfer the green beans and onions to a platter. Using a sharp carving knife, slice the roasts from the racks, using the bones as a guide. Carve the deboned roasts 1 inch thick and arrange on top of the onions.