Potato Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce

. Feasts, Pasta . , , ,

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My crazy cooking last week wore me out! One night, Jon got wontons, and just a night or two later he was treated to potato gnocchi. Yikes! That is a lot of cooking for week nights, hence the delay in posting.

I started off by cooking the potatoes in the microwave (I was not about to wait 45 minutes for them to boil!), and then peeling off the skins as soon as I could handle them. I tend to pick things up when they are too hot, and the potatoes were no exception, so there was some blowing on my fingers! After I peeled and mashed up the potatoes (lacking a ricer, the “proper” method), I spread them out to cool, and then added salt, pepper, and allspice.

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Next I added in the flour and flax eggs to make the gnocchi dough. I shaped the gnocchi by making long ropes of dough, cutting it into smaller pieces, and then pushing each piece down the back of a fork. Eventually, I ended up with a flock of gnocchi. Not quite as graceful as the herd of wontons, but still pretty impressive.
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While the water was heating up to cook the gnocchi, I whipped up a simple tomato sauce, starting with onions and garlic and then adding in some roughly puréed tomatoes.
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I always like to have the sauce ready before the first batch of gnocchi is cooked because then I can just put the gnocchi directly into the sauce.

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Once the sauce was simmering away, I started cooking the gnocchi in batches. You can tell they are done when they float to the top of the boiling water.

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Finally all the gnocchi was done and ready to be eaten. Yum!

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Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

For the gnocchi:
3 large potatoes, boiled (or cooked in the microwave!)
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 6 Tbsp water)
1 cup whole wheat flour, plus more as needed to form dough
1 tsp ground allspice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:
1 onion, very finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp dried basil

Cook the potatoes using your desired method (hint: microwave is faster!), and remove the skins as soon as they are cool enough for you to handle. If you have a ricer, put the potatoes through the ricer and spread in a thin layer to continue to cool. If you don’t have a ricer, you can use a hand masher, but try to incorporate as much air as possible – you don’t want actual mashed potatoes! Allow the potatoes to cool.

In a large pot, boil water. Meanwhile, gather the potatoes together, and make a well in the middle. Pour the flax eggs into the well, and sprinkle 1 cup flour around the potatoes. Add the allspice, salt, and pepper. Using your clean hands, mix everything together. Continue to add flour until you have a soft dough that holds together and isn’t too sticky. You don’t want to add too much flour or mix the dough too much, or the gnocchi will be tough and dense. Dense gnocchi just isn’t as good!

Test the dough by pinching off a small amount and placing it into the boiling water. The dough should stay together and float to the surface in about 3-5 minutes. If your gnocchi falls apart and your dough is really moist, add more flour. If your gnocchi falls apart and the dough is really dry, you probably need to add a little extra water.

Start the tomato sauce by sautéing the onion and garlic until they are softened and flavorful. I wanted a smoother tomato sauce, so I used my immersion blender to mostly purée the diced tomatoes. You can skip this step if you want a chunkier sauce. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, basil, salt and pepper. Cover and allow to simmer while forming and cooking the gnocchi.

Separate the dough into quarters. Roll each quarter into ropes about 3/4″ thick. Using a dough cutter, cut the ropes into 1/2″ segments. Using the back of a fork, push the gnocchi down the fork. You should get nice ridges on one side, and an indentation from your thumb on the other side.

Once all the gnocchi are formed and you’ve scraped all the extra potato mixture off your hands, cook the gnocchi in the salted boiling water in batches. Be sure to gently scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure none are sticking. The gnocchi will take 3-5 minutes to cook, and you’ll know they are done when they float to the top.

As each batch is finished, spoon the gnocchi directly into the tomato sauce. After all the gnocchi is finished, allow them to simmer in the sauce for a minute or two. Serve topped with freshly ground pepper and a little grated Parmesan, if you’re a cheese eater!

Wontons in Ginger Broth with Roasted Broccoli and Edamame

. Asian Food, Feasts, Soup . , , ,

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One dish that Jon really likes but doesn’t get very frequently is homemade wontons. Although not especially difficult to make, it definitely takes some time to assemble and cook all the wontons.

I started off by cooking the filling using onions, peeled and diced broccoli stems, and vegan chicken. This mixture was flavored with lemon verbena, dried cilantro (use basil if you’re a cilantro hater), soy sauce, and a little sriracha sauce, and then set aside to cool.

Next, I mixed together all the ingredients for the roasted broccoli and edamame, and stuck that in the oven to roast. Oddly enough, this was the first time I have ever tried to roast broccoli.
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While the broccoli was roasting away, I started off the ginger broth by mixing together water, soy sauce, minced ginger, rice vinegar, miso paste, a little sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. The broth simmered and melded all its flavors while I worked on assembling all the wontons. It is definitely a good idea to have some good entertainment and something comfortable to stand on for this part!
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Once my herd of wontons had been assembled, I steamed them over the broth. When all the wontons were done, several went into shallow bowls and were topped with the broth. The broccoli was a crunchy and spicy side. And fortunately, Jon was nice enough to clean up after dinner. :-)
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Wontons in Ginger Broth with Roasted Broccoli and Edamame

Wontons
Stems of 3-4 heads of broccoli, peeled and diced
1 onion, finely diced
3/4 cup vegan chicken, finely diced
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp lemon verbena
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp sriracha sauce
2 tsp soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 package wonton wrappers
Steamer basket or vegetable steamer

Ginger Broth
6 cups water
1.5 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sugar
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp miso paste

Roasted Broccoli
Broccoli florets from 3-4 heads of broccoli
1 cup edamame, removed from shell (frozen is fine)
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust based on desired spiciness)

First, start the filling for the wontons. Remove the tough outside of the broccoli stems, and then dice. Sauté the onion in the sesame and peanut oils until it is softened and just beginning to caramelize. Add the ginger, broccoli stems, and diced vegan chicken to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the cilantro and lemon verbena. Sauté for a few more minutes, then add the soy sauce and sriracha sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Put aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375F. On a large baking sheet, mix together all the ingredients for the roasted broccoli. The vegetables should be in a single layer on the sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 35 minutes until the broccoli and edamame are crispy in parts and have absorbed most of the sauce.

Mix together all of the ingredients for the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Next, if you haven’t already, put on some entertainment like music, a podcast, or a talkative husband, and assemble the wontons. Place a wonton skin on a cutting board, and spoon a small amount of filling into the center.
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Using a small pastry brush or your fingertip, brush all four sides of the wonton skin with water, then fold in half to make a triangle. Press the sides together firmly, and then bring the two points together. Brush one point with a little more water, and then seal together with the other point. Place the finished wonton on a baking tray. Continue to assemble the rest of the wontons.
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After the wontons are assembled (aren’t you glad you had some entertainment?), place the wontons into a steamer of steamer basket. Make sure they are not touching, or they might stick together as they cook. Place the steamer or steamer basket over the broth pot, or another pot of boiling water. Working in batches, steam the wontons for about 10 minutes or until the wonton skins are cooked through. Remove and keep warm while steaming the rest of the wontons.
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To serve, place several wontons in a shallow bowl. Spoon the ginger broth over top, and serve with the roasted broccoli on the side. Enjoy getting to sit down, and hopefully be lucky enough to have a dinner companion who will clean up the kitchen for you.

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Under cabinet lighting

. General

Although not a meal, there was recently a pretty exciting project in my kitchen that has made cooking more enjoyable – the installation of under cabinet lighting!

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Although I used to be quite skeptical of Jon’s handiwork, he definitely proved his capabilities on this project. After a few trips to Home Depot and consultation with Jon’s dad on the electrical installation, Jon started work on a Saturday morning. He ran wiring, installed new outlets, a new switch, and then finally the lights. By Sunday afternoon, the kitchen was back in order and much brighter!

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Jon also took the opportunity to install accent lighting above the cabinets.

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The lights look really pretty and make it easier to cook!

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Orzo and Peas with Parsley Pesto

. Pasta . , , , ,

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Mmm…spring! Even though it will only be spring for a few more hours before we are plunged back into winter, I am still excited about it! I decided to make yet another dish with peas: pasta with peas and parsley pesto! It’s the 4P’s, and more exciting than the normal association I make with “the 4P’s” of marketing…

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I started off by cooking the orzo and peas in some well-salted boiling water. While the pasta was cooking, I mixed up the pesto. Parsley, olive oil, almonds, garlic, salt, and pepper all went into a bowl to be mixed up by my hand blender.

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After the pesto was blended together, I added a little bit of vegan Parmesan, and mixed it all together.

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After the orzo and peas were done cooking, everything got mixed together with a little bit of pasta water added to finish the sauce.

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It was a perfect spring dish accompanied by even more green on the side – a salad topped with homemade vinaigrette. Hopefully it will keep me and Jon warm in the snow tomorrow!

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Orzo with Peas and Parsley Pesto

1.5 cups dried orzo
16 ounces peas (fresh or frozen)
Large bunch parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 cloves garlic
1.5 Tbsp vegan Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a pot large enough for both the orzo and the peas, boil a good amount of water. When the water is boiling, salt it well, then add the orzo. About 6 minutes before the orzo will be done cooking, add the peas.

While the orzo and peas are cooking, make the parsley pesto. Place the parsley, garlic cloves, salt, almonds, and olive oil in a cuisinart or hand mixer. Add pepper and additional salt to taste, and blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan, if using, and mix together.

When the pasta and orzo are done cooking, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and then drain. Place the orzo and peas back in the cooking pot, then add the parsley pesto. Add enough cooking liquid to form a sauce. Serve topped with more Parmesan and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes.

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Blueberry Pancakes with Banana Crunch Topping

. breakfast . , , , ,

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Blueberry pancakes on Sunday morning = pampered husband!

Jon was lucky enough for me to offer to make him breakfast this past Sunday morning. Pancakes are one of our favorites, but I decided to make them a little more exciting with a banana crunch topping.

I started off by mixing up the batter using my mom’s Feather Pancake recipe as inspiration, but making it vegan and adding almond and vanilla extracts.

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While the pan for the pancakes was heating up, I started the topping by slicing up a banana. This went into a pan with a little bit of butter, brown sugar, a little vanilla extract, and diced pecans. It looked so good that I could have eaten it just like that!

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While the topping was cooking away, I made all of the pancakes. I used to have lots of problems with pancakes sticking (making for sad pancakes), but once I figured out the right amount of butter to use in the pan they almost always turn out well. You need to add a little more butter before each batch, and make sure there is enough to coat the bottom of the pan but not so much that it feels like you are frying the pancakes.

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I added blueberries to each pancakes as they went into the pan. I have found that when you are using frozen blueberries, they make the batter blue if you mix them directly into the batter! As the pancakes were finished, they got added to my happy pile of pancakes. :-)

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After all the pancake batter was used up, I served them with some clementine slices and topped with the banana topping, which had gotten crispy and caramelized. Breakfast made Jon slightly less grumpy about it being the morning!

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Vegan Blueberry Pancakes with Banana Crunch Topping

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed in 3 Tbsp water)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, defrost before using)
Butter (vegan or regular)

Banana Crunch Topping
1 banana, sliced
2 Tbsp pecans, crumbled
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients for the pancakes. Mix together the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a dab of butter and melt it – there should be just enough butter to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Use 1/4 cup scoop to form the pancakes. Cook them in batches, adding the blueberries when the batter is first spooned into the pan. Flip the pancakes when there are bubbles in the batter and they easily separate from the pan. Keep warm while cooking the rest of the pancakes.

While cooking the pancakes, make the topping. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat, then add about 1/2 Tbsp butter to the pan. Once the butter melts, add the sliced bananas to the pan. Allow to cook, flipping the slices as they get browned on each side.

After the bananas are browned, add the pecans, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Allow to cook for a few more minutes until the sugar has melted and the pecans are crispy.

Spoon the banana crunch topping over the pancakes, and serve with your favorite syrup, agave nectar, or honey.

Rigatoni with Kale

. Pasta . , , , ,

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I wanted to make something with rigatoni recently, so I decided to combine it with kale and cannellini beans in a lemony white wine sauce.

I started off by slicing up shallots, then mincing an onion and several garlic cloves. After sautéing the shallots and onion in a little olive oil, I added the garlic. I love the smell when garlic hits a hot pan!

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While the shallot-onion mixture was cooking away, I blanched the kale for a few minutes, then added it to the pan along with vegetarian “chicken” and cannellini beans.

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After flavoring the veggie mixture with freshly-grated nutmeg (thank you Savory Spice!) and red pepper flakes, I added white wine and lemon juice. Once the sauce simmered for a few minutes, I poured in all the rigatoni and a little bit of pasta water to help finish the sauce.

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Even though Jon is skeptical of kale (he said I needed to add a few “yucks” on his behalf to the post), we both enjoyed the healthy pasta.

Rigatoni with kale

1 lb Rigatoni, cooked
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch kale, stems and ribs removed
15 ounces cannellini beans (cooked, or 1 can)
Vegetarian chicken chunks, optional
1/2 cup dry white wine – whatever you want to drink with dinner would be best!
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Red pepper flakes to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/2 tsp)
Zest of 1 lemon

Blanch the kale in well-salted water until bright green. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.

Sauté the onion and shallots in a little bit of olive oil until they are lightly caramelized. Add a little bit of salt to help the onion and shallots release their liquid. If they begin to stick to the pan, add a little bit of the pasta water.

Add the garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, vegetarian chicken chunks, and cannellini beans to the pan. Cook the “chicken” and beans for a few minutes, then add the kale, white wine, and lemon juice.

Simmer the sauce for a few minutes, then add the cooked rigatoni. Add pasta water to finish the sauce, then cook the rigatoni in the sauce for a minute.

Serve with freshly ground pepper and sprinkled with lemon zest.

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