Toasted Ricotta Gnocchi with Pancetta and Wilted Arugula

The other night we were at dinner with our friends Nick and April and Nick asked me what I would make if I had someone REALLY important coming over for dinner. Without hesitation, I said that I would make my toasted ricotta gnocchi with pancetta, arugula and a truffle oil cream.  As you can tell by my white pizza, I'm pretty fond of these flavor combinations.  This is one of those meals that when you taste it, any care for your caloric intake flies out the window.  This dish is totally worth it.

You want a light and fluffy gnocchi? Then the trick is to handle the dough as little as possible. Just enough to bring the ingredients together and form a ball.  Any more will make the gnocchi tough. To be honest, I actually prefer these ricotta ones over the classic potato.  They really are delicious.

If you've never made gnocchi before, this is a great starter recipe.  I made these on a week night and we ate them at a reasonable 7:00pm. My husband jokes and says that I am the only person he knows that will just whip up gnocchi on a whim but hey, he's not complaining :)  

Let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator over night.  I used a wire mesh colander over a bowl. I also sprinkled a little salt over it to help the process.

This removes some of the liquid so the gnocchi isn't too wet.

Add flour

Lemon zest

And cheese

To a bowl

Grated nutmeg.

Mix together before adding the wet ingredients.  The key is to work the dough as little as possible.

1 cup of ricotta

Add egg

Mix egg and ricotta together

Add to flour

Gently work dry and wet ingredients together

Until it forms a ball.  Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Turn out onto a floured surface

Pound out into a disc and cut off sections to roll out.

Roll into a rope with hands

Cut the gnocchi

Transfer onto floured cookie sheet and refrigerate

Chop up pancetta

Cook until crispy

Drain on paper towel

Mince garlic


Add garlic and truffle oil to cream

Boil gnocchi.  When it floats, it is cooked.

Transfer to pancetta pan and toast

Pour in cream mixture

Grate cheese

Add chopped parsley, arugula and pancetta.  Most of the cream evaporated by this time so I added another splash at the end to moisten them up.

Toasted Ricotta Gnocchi with Pancetta, Wilted Arugula and Truffled Cream
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. lemon zest
1 cup whole milk ricotta, drained overnight
1 egg
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 t. truffle oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. arugula, chopped
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 c. Parmigiano Reggiano
salt and pepper

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cheese, salt nutmeg and lemon zest.  Mix together until combined.  In a separate glass measuring cup, mix ricotta and egg.  Pour ricotta mixture into bowl with flour.  Use a spatula, wooden spoon or your hands to mix until a ball of dough forms.  Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and dust with flour.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface.  Shape into an oval disc about 1 inch thick. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut off section of dough and use hands to roll into a rope about 1 inch in diameter.  Slice rope into 1 inch pieces and place on floured cookie sheet.  Repeat until all of the dough has been rolled out and cut into gnocchi.

From here, you can place the cookie sheet in refrigerator (if you plan on cooking withing 3-4 hours) or in the freezer (if cooking another day).  Once frozen, store in plastic bag for future use.  You can throw the frozen gnocchi directly into boiling water to cook them another time.

Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Add a heavy pinch of salt and a few turns of olive oil.  While water is boiling, cook the pancetta in a large non-stick skillet.  Remove when crispy and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Leave pancetta fat in pan and turn heat to medium low.  In glass measuring cup, add cream, truffle oil and minced garlic.  Stir to combine.

Place the gnocchi into the boiling water. Once it floats to the surface, it is done.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer gnocchi from water to preheated pancetta pan.  Toss frequently to brown gnocchi on all sides.  Once toasted, add cream mixture and grated parmesan cheese. Toss and then add arugula, parsley and crispy pancetta.   Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Makes 2-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are!

Look how light and fluffy they are!

Spicy Thai Mussels with Chorizo in a Coconut Curry Broth

I realize I am always telling you how delicious everything on this blog is and that you must go make it right now... blah blah blah blah blah! But listen up.  I am being 500% serious right now.  If you like mussels and make just one recipe that I share, this is the winner.  Ding ding ding ding!

If I had to choose my last meal, this would be it.  I could die happy with this in my belly.  Speaking of last meals, did you know that there is a Wikipedia page that lists the last meals requested by all of the Death Row inmates?  Kind of cryptic and I don't think that any of these horrible people even deserve a last meal but it is crazy to read.

Well, back to these mussels.  I can't take full credit for this recipe as it was actually a joint effort between Matt and I.  When we first met, he could make 3 things; shrimp scampi over angel hair, meatloaf and sandwiches.  You may laugh that he can make "sandwiches" but I kid you not that he is THE BEST sandwich maker in the world.  From picking the perfect bread to making sure the ingredients are perfectly proportional, he is like an artist when he assembles a sandwich.

Although I could go on and on about his sandwich making skills, he has since graduated to bigger and better things in the kitchen.  He even made me braised beef short ribs the other day. What! Simmered in a veggie and herb filled red wine reduction, they were fall-off-the-bone good!  Each time he makes something new, I am both grateful and thoroughly impressed.

Please let me know if you get the chance to try this recipe because I know you will love it just as much as we did.

Melt the butter

And cook the onions

Add the chorizo and garlic

Next the red pepper and red curry paste.  The paste does have a kick to if you prefer a milder dish, gradually add it in.  You can always add more but can't take away.

We also added a Serrano pepper and ended up using about 1/4 of it.  That added plenty of spice.

Once everything has cooked, deglaze the pan with some dry white wine.

Let it reduce by at least half.

Next add the coconut milk

A little honey for sweetness

Lime zest and juice

Tomatoes

And fresh ginger

You will want to clean and "de-beard" the mussels.  See, that's Matt's hand and he used his super man-strength to de-beard all of these little mussels.

He also taught me how to see if an mussel is alive.  If a mussel is open, give the shell a little tap.  If it closes, then it is alive.  If it stays open, then it is dead and throw in out like a bad habit.  No one wants to get a bad mussel!

Finally, throw the mussels into the broth, cover and let cook for about 15 minutes.  They will open and release juices to add a delicious seafood flavor to the dish.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with some crusty bread.

Spicy Thai Mussels with Chorizo in a Coconut Curry Broth
2 T. butter
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. raw chorizo sausage, removed from casing
1/3 c. red bell pepper, diced
2 T. red curry paste
1/4 Serrano pepper, chopped thin
1 c. dry white wine
1 can coconut milk
1 T. honey
1/2 lime, juice and zest
3 tomatoes, diced
2 t. fresh grated ginger
2 c.chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs. mussels
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and let cook for about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and chorizo and continue to cook until meat is browned... about another 4 minutes.  Next add the red curry paste,red bell pepper and Serrano pepper.  The Serrano is very spicy so omit if spicy is not your thing!

After the chorizo mixtures cooks together for a few minutes, deglaze pan with wine.  Let reduce by half.  Next add coconut milk, honey, lime juice and zest, tomatoes, ginger and chicken broth.  Cook for about 10 more minutes over medium heat. Now its time to taste the broth and season with salt and pepper as needed.

If you have a co-pilot, have them clean and de-beard the mussels while you are making the broth.  If not, make sure you do this before hand so you can throw them in when the broth is ready.  To do this, use a paper towel or kitchen brush to clean any dirt or debris from the outside of the mussels.

While you are cleaning them, tap the shells of any open mussels and make sure they close.  If they remain open, then the mussel is dead and needs to be discarded.  Also, if you see and thread-like "beards" hanging out of the seam of the mussel, pull it out.

You are now ready to add the mussels to the broth.  Keep over low heat and cover.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes to allow the mussels to open. Take the lid off and finally throw in the cilantro.

Serve with some grilled garlic bread and a glass of the left over wine!  

Sweet Corn Potato Chowder with Bacon and Basil

I'd like to make a bold statement and say the Ohio has the best sweet corn. Ever.  There, i said it.  During the months of August and September, we probably have it with dinner every other night.  It is everywhere you look.

You will find sweet corn at stands on the side of the road, at farmers markets and on a huge display at your local grocery store.  I've bought from all of the above and each time I sink my teeth into the ear of corn, I exclaim that "This is the best sweet corn I've ever had!"  It just keeps getting better.

To switch things up, I decided to make a corn chowder with 2 leftover ears we had laying around.  Have you ever had basil with corn?  Or better yet... bacon with corn?  This soup is mouth-watering good.

Start off by browning bacon.  Remove with a slotted spoon because you want all of the bacon fat to remain in the pan.  Hello flavor!

Drain on paper towel

Add carrots, onion and celery.

And garlic.

Then potatoes.

Stock.

Milk and cream.

Cut corn off of the cob with a sharp knife. Reserve the kernels in a bowl and set aside.  you will add them later.

Add cobs, bay leaves and chipotle powder to stock.  If you don't have chipotle powder, paprika or chili powder will work just fine.  The cobs will lend a great corn flavor to the stock.  Time to simmer.

Before blending, remove the cobs and bay leaves.

Matt is not a big fan of large chunks in his soups so I just blended everything up with my immersion blender.  Should you prefer a chunkier soup, ladle half  of the mixture into a regular blender and blend until smooth.  Return back to pot and stir to combine.  Then add corn, bacon and basil.

Sweet Corn Potato Chowder with Bacon and Basil
6 slices of bacon
3 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 potatoes, cubed
4 c. chicken stock
3 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream
3 ears of sweet corn
4 bay leaves
1/2 t. chipotle powder
2. t. salt
1 t. pepper
8 basil leaves, chopped

Chop bacon into small pieces.  Preheat large soup pot over medium heat and ad bacon.  Cook until crispy.  Remove from pot and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Do not drain the grease from pot and keep it over the heat.

Add carrots, onion, celery and garlic.  Cook for about 4 minutes until softened.  Add potatoes and top with stock, milk and cream.

Shuck the two ears of corn.  With a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob.  Place the kernels in a bowl and throw the ears into the broth.  Add bay leaves, chipotle powder, salt and pepper.  Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes.  Remove ears of corn and bay leaves.

Now is time to decide how you would like the texture of the finished product.  You can either blend everything up for a thick, homogeneous chowder or you can blend up only half of the liquid for a chunkier chowder.  Your choice but both equally delicious.
 
Return blended soup to pot and add corn, bacon and basil.  Reserve a little bacon and basil for garnish.  Simmer for 7 minutes longer in order to cook raw corn.  Serve in bowl with crackers and garnish with bacon and basil.