The Foodist: Gnocchi with Creamed Eggs and Black Truffles

The Foodist: Gnocchi with Creamed Eggs and Black Truffles

The Foodist: Gnocchi with Creamed Eggs and Black Truffles
Jacques Pepin’s classic gnocchi with egg cream sauce with a few tweaks.

The Foodist: Gnocchi with Creamed Eggs and Black Truffles sounds like a mouthful and that is because it is! Such a delightful and surprisingly filling meal. It is delicious hot or cold and the addition of minced black truffle, vegetable or chicken stock and simple white wine take it over the top.

The most fascinating thing about this recipe is its stunning simplicity, and what an impression it makes at a dinner party. This is not vegan, but it can very easily be vegetarian. Put this on a table garnished well in a lovely bowl and then just clean the empty bowl after.

Serving this dish cool the next day is also a delight. Think of it as the world’s finest potato salad, and surprise your guests. Serve with white wine or champagne.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 eggs
  • 12 ounces potato gnocchi store bought is fine
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup minced green onions
  • 3 Tbsp sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp Minced black truffles (canned is fine)
  • 2 Tbsp freshly shaved parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a small bowl using a fork, beat the eggs and then set them aside.
  2. Spread the gnocchi in one layer in a large 12-14″ nonstick skillet and add the stock and wine or water, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 3 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Add the green onions and continue cooking, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes longer, until the gnocchi and green onions start to sizzle and begin to brown lightly.
  4. Add the eggs to the skillet and cook, folding constantly, for 45 seconds, to 1 minute at the most. The eggs should be soft and loose.
  5. Add the sour cream and minced truffles to stop the cooking; mix it in well.
  6. Plate and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and a few drops of truffle oil, if desired. Serve immediately.

I have shaved truffles over the top at times as available.


The Foodist: Zucchini Boats with Rice

The Foodist: Zucchini Boats with Rice

The Foodist: Zucchini Boats with Rice

This is a spring and summer staple! The Foodist: Zucchini boats with rice. It’s good in the same way as The Foodist: Poached lemon and salmon over zucchini noodles is good.

There are times when a body needs to eat fast and well to get the job done on an urban farm. The amount of flavor, nutrients, textures, and Yum yum of this dish can’t be beat! And it is really easy to make and digest, a definite win in my book!

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup brown rice, uncooked
  • 4 zucchinis
  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tomato, diced (1 16oz can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes, drained)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mozzarella, grated
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cook the rice according to package instructions. Reserve cooked rice.
  2. Halve zucchinis lengthwise and hollow out the flesh using a spoon. Place flesh in a small bowl and roughly chop.
  3. Place zucchini halves into a large baking dish or baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm olive oil for 1 minute. Add zucchini flesh and cook until water is gone, about 5-7 minutes. Add shallot and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
  5. To zucchini flesh-shallot mixture, add cooked rice, tomato, and salt. Stir to combine.
  6. Distribute rice mixture evenly into each zucchini half. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  7. Top each zucchini half with mozzarella and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese melts and starts to brown.

NOTES

  • Substitute brown rice with your favorite grain. White rice, farro, quinoa, or barley would all work great. Cook according to package instructions. And if you are short on time, make your grain ahead of time.
  • Add your favorite protein to make it a heartier meat dish. Chicken, turkey, chickpeas, or tofu would all be great additions!
  • Make ahead: Prep your zucchini boats up to one day ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking by placing them on the counter for around one hour.
  • Substitute Swiss, provolone, or your favorite soft, mild cheese in place of mozzarella.
  • Make vegan/dairy-free: Substitute the mozzarella for your favorite plant-based cheese. Just be sure that it’s one that melts well, as some melt better than others.
  • To store: Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • LAST NOTE: These really do store well, and they are just as good heated in a microwave! Add marinara to spice it up a bit! Super good!
  • To reheat: Place zucchini in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F. for about 15 minutes.
  • Serve as a main entree or side

The Foodist: Bread Cheese and Butternut Squash and Pesto Soup

The Foodist: Bread Cheese and Butternut Squash and Pesto Soup

Delightful butternut squash and parsley/sage/Parmesan pesto soup with pan seared bread cheese croutons

This is a delightful vegetarian soup. Rick created this recipe as an amalgam of three different recipes. The issue was whether to use apples or shallots in the soup. As with most of his recipes he made adjustments and compromises.

Instead of onions, which imparted a sharp taste to our Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Rick switched to shallots, which had a sweeter, milder flavor. Rather than start the soup’s base of shallots and chicken broth on the stovetop, we cooked the two elements in the oven. We started by tossing chopped shallots with oil and the squash.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (see note on squash body)
  • 3 medium shallots, peeled and quartered -OR
    • 1 ½ pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetarian stock)
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar
  • ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

PESTO RECIPE

  • 1 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup EVOO
  • 1 Tbsp chopped sage
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 Tbpn lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Toss squash, apples, shallots, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl, then arrange in single layer in large roasting pan.
  3. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and softened, about 45 minutes. Add ½ cup broth to pan and scrape up any browned bits with wooden spoon.
  4. Return to oven and cook until liquid has reduced and vegetables are glazed, about 5 minutes.
  5.  Working in 2 batches, puree squash mixture and remaining broth in blender until smooth.
  6. Transfer pureed squash mixture to large saucepan and stir in syrup, vinegar, nutmeg, and cream.
  7. Bring soup to simmer over medium-low heat, adding ¼ cup water at a time as necessary to adjust consistency.
  8. Add in the pesto and stir in softly.
  9. Serve.
  10. (Soup can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days.)

Note:

Because the bulbous end of butternut squash contains the seeds and stringy fibers, purchase squash with a relatively long neck—they have more usable flesh. You can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of this soup


Fishy Business

Fishy Business

Fishy Business
The view of the fish from an underwater camera in the pond.

One of the joys of starting a new relationship, whether it be with a person, a house, or a garden… is discovering things that never would have occurred to you outside of that relationship. Each relationship changes who you are, till after awhile, you are in a place you never dreamed. This is true especially with the fishy business.

We did not know that we would need a pond at Mezzacello. It just made sense to have a source of water as a reservoir. Then we added fish.

Link to Ohio Koi

One of us wanted fish to create a new ecosystem and develop a source of algae and bio-wastes that would fertilize the gardens. One of us fell in love with koi and the peace and tranquility that a pond can bring. Surprisingly, we got both.