Read In the Hands of a Chef Online
Authors: Jody Adams
I
n the pantheon of comfort
foods, potato gnocchi yield to no dish, with the possible exception of chicken soup made by your mother. To consume a forkful of potato gnocchi gratin with all the associations it conjures up of cheese and tomatoes and good things baked in an oven, followed by a swallow of red wine, is to breathe new life into the phrase “back to basics. “ Although they were probably developed as a way of using leftover potatoes, potato gnocchi have become an aim in themselves, a major staple in the cuisine of northern Italy. I’ve encountered them in literally dozens of preparations, in soups, with meat ragouts, with tomato or cream sauce, or baked in gratins—alone, as in this recipe, or with a Wild Mushroom Fricassee (page 101) or salt cod (page 22). Squash, spinach, ricotta, and different herbs are sometimes introduced into this basic recipe, and there are many other variations, including eggless ones. They are all delicious.
Making gnocchi may seem arcane, but in truth they are not much more than poached bits of mashed potato. If you follow the suggestions in the Gnocchi Notes on page 171, you shouldn’t have any problem. They freeze quite well, and a bag of them in your freezer, like a bag of frozen cubes of lobster stock, is a blessed store against a bare larder.
MAKES 4 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS
GNOCCHI
2 pounds baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 cup unbleached ail-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 extra-large egg, beaten
2 cups light cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 plum tomatoes, peeled (see page 55), seeded, and chopped into ½-inch dice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
DO AHEAD:
Make the gnocchi the night before serving, arrange them in the gratin or casserole dish, cover, and refrigerate. If you need to prepare as much of this dish as possible several days in advance, follow the box instructions for making gnocchi and freezing them raw.
1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2.
Roast the potatoes for 40 to 50 minutes—they should be just done. If they cook too long, they won’t rice properly.
3.
Let the potatoes cool for 5 minutes, no longer. Using a kitchen towel to hold the potatoes, cut each one in half, scoop out the potato flesh, and rice into a large bowl. Add the flour and salt and mix well. Add the egg and quickly knead everything together into a sticky dough; work the dough no longer than 3 minutes. If
it’s too wet, add a small amount of additional flour. If you add too much flour or knead the dough for too long, the gnocchi will be gluey.
4.
Fill a large pot with 4 inches of water; bring to a boil and season with salt. (You need the water deep enough to cook the submerged gnocchi, yet shallow enough that you can maintain a good boil. If you want the process to go faster, put on two large pots.) Fill another large pot with ice water. Dust your hands with flour. Cut off a piece of dough about the size of a gumball to make a trial gnocchi. Roll it between your palms into a ball, then drop it into the boiling water. After it cooks for a minute, it will bob to the surface. Let it cook for a minute longer, then remove it with a slotted spoon. Plunge it into the ice water for a few seconds, then taste it. (Don’t worry if the outside looks a little filmy as it comes out of the ice water. The film will disappear as the gnocchi dries and the moisture evaporates.) The gnocchi should be cooked through but still soft. If it falls apart, knead a little more flour into the dough, taste for seasoning, and test again.
5.
Using more flour as needed, roll the dough under your palms into ½-inch-thick logs. There should be enough dough to make between 4 and 5 logs about 18 inches long. Cut the logs diagonally into 1-inch lengths. You should get 65 to 70 gnocchi. Gnocchi are generally given a final shaping either by making a depression in the center of each piece with your finger or rolling them off the back of the tines of a fork.
6.
Preheat the broiler. Grease a shallow 2-quart baking dish with the butter. (The dish has to be large enough to accommodate the gnocchi in a single layer.)
7.
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water in several batches. Again, let them bob to the surface, then cook for an additional minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi from the boiling water to a sheet pan, shaking off excess water. Let them cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to the buttered baking dish. (If not baking the gnocchi immediately, see Gnocchi Notes.)
8.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to simmer, season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes.
9.
Arrange the gnocchi in the dish in a single layer. Pour the cream and tomatoes over the gnocchi. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Place under the broiler until the gnocchi are toasted and golden, about 5 minutes.
10.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
P
otato gnocchi aren’t hard to make, but there are two things that will result in gummy gnocchi—overcooked potatoes and potatoes that are allowed to cool before being riced. The cooler a potato gets, the more difficult it is to rice, and the gummier the gnocchi will be. Scoop out and rice the roasted potatoes as soon as they’re cool enough to handle.
Raw gnocchi should be refrigerated and cooked within 24 hours. Cooked gnocchi will keep for a day if refrigerated. If you want to cook gnocchi ahead, prepare a pot of ice water along with the pot of boiling water. As the gnocchi finish cooking, plunge them into the ice water. Let them cool for a minute, then drain and let dry on plastic wrap or wax paper. Put them in a plastic container large enough to hold them in a single layer and refrigerate.
To freeze raw gnocchi, lay them out on a tray dusted with flour and put them in the freezer. As soon as they’ve frozen solid, transfer them to a plastic freezer bag. To cook frozen gnocchi, drop them into lots of boiling salted water. Gently stir the water until they bob to the surface, so they don’t stick together. Cook for an additional minute after they have come to the surface, just as you would fresh gnocchi. They should be cooked through, but still somewhat soft.
I
’ve experimented with lots of
different additions to polenta—sun-dried tomatoes, chopped mushrooms, and corn kernels, to name a few—but the one I return to most frequently is buckwheat flour. It contributes an earthy element to the corn flavor. Buckwheat flour, polenta, Gorgonzola, chestnuts, and grappa are all staples of the cuisine of Lombardy. The figs here are my innovation, and a fine match with the other ingredients for a hearty dish. Add a salad and a dessert of roasted pears, and you’re got a rustic repast just right for an autumn evening.
MAKES 4 ENTRÉE SERVINGS
1 cup dried figs, preferably Turkish, stems removed, cut into quarters
½ cup grappa (or Cognac or brandy)
2 cups cooked and peeled (see page 244) chestnuts (if fresh chestnuts are unavailable, substitute
2 cups frozen or jarred chestnuts, crumbled or coarsely chopped)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
8 cups water
2 cups coarse cornmeal
6 tablespoons buckwheat flour (available at health food stores or whole-foods grocery stores)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
¼ pound Gorgonzola
DO AHEAD:
Boil and peel the chestnuts.
1.
Combine the figs and grappa in a small saucepan over low heat, taking care not to ignite the alcohol. Bring to a simmer, remove from the heat, and let steep for 30 minutes. The figs should be tender and all the grappa should be absorbed. If there is still grappa remaining, remove the figs, put the pan on the stove, and reduce to almost a glaze. Pour over the figs. Set aside.
2.
Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and golden, 10 minutes. Add the chestnuts, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden and tender, about 4 minutes. (If using frozen or jarred chestnuts, they may not color; just heat them through.) Remove from the heat, add the sage, and set aside.
3.
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and then
add the polenta in a slow, steady stream through your fingers, whisking constantly so it doesn’t clump up. Do the same with the buckwheat flour. If you get any lumps, mash them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon and keep stirring. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick and shiny and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Regulate the heat as necessary so the mixture doesn’t boil over. Season with salt and pepper.
4.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F.
5.
Rub a glazed 9-inch shallow casserole or deep-dish pie plate with vegetable oil. When the polenta is done, pour one-third of it into the casserole. Cover with the chestnuts. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Pour another third of the polenta over the chestnuts. Scatter the figs over it and dot with the Gorgonzola. Cover with the final one-third of polenta. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon pepper and the remaining Parmesan.
6.
Bake the polenta until bubbling and heated through, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
L
eftover goose or duck is
a rare opportunity for an extraordinary risotto. In my family, we have a tradition of using the carcasses of the Christmas geese to make a stock (see Chicken Stock headnote, page 31), which we then use, along with leftover goose meat, to make goose risotto on December 26. 1 freeze extra stock, saving it for a treat with friends sometime in February.
To make the risotto, follow the recipe below, substituting alternative ingredients for the listed ones as necessary—you don’t need all of the first-choice ingredients. If you have goose stock, excellent; if you have leftover goose or duck, or even dark-meat turkey, but no stock, fine. Any of these alternatives will still make an excellent dish. When using rich meats like goose or duck, an acidic ingredient like dried cranberries or balsamic vinegar added just before serving can help balance the flavors.
MAKES 4 ENTRÉE SERVINGS
6 cups goose, duck, or Chicken Stock (page 31) or high-quality canned low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup goose fat or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
1 medium onion, chopped into ¼-inch dice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 ounce dried porcini, reconstituted in warm water (see page 271), soaking liquid saved, and coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup crispy goose or duck skin cut into matchsticks (optional)
½ pound duck or goose meat, trimmed of skin and fat and coarsely chopped into 1- to 2-inch pieces
½ cup dried cranberries (optional)
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, if needed
1.
Heat the stock to a simmer. Keep warm.
2.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of the goose fat (or butter) in a risotto pan or a large deep saucepan over medium heat. It’s important to use a pan with a heavy bottom that conducts heat evenly or the rice could burn when you cook the risotto. As soon as the fat melts, add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add another 1½ tablespoons goose fat (or butter) to the pan. As soon as it melts, add the chopped porcini mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring so the fat coats all the rice. Season with salt and pepper.
3.
Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until most of it has been absorbed. Add ½ cup
of the stock and cook, stirring frequently, making sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until most of the stock has been absorbed, then add another
½
cup. If you find that the stock is absorbed instantly, or you have to stir violently to prevent the rice from sticking and burning, then lower the heat. Continue adding the stock ½ cup at a time, waiting until most of it has been absorbed before adding more each time. Stop adding stock when the rice is creamy and tender but there’s still a slight amount of resistance when you bite into it. Don’t worry if there’s still stock left—you may not have to use it all. The total cooking time for the rice will be about 30 minutes.
4.
While the risotto is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon goose fat (or the olive oil) in a small sauté pan. Add the skin and sauté until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
5.
As soon as the rice is finished, stir in the goose meat, cranberries, if using, pine nuts, cheese, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add a splash of balsamic vinegar if necessary. (Depending on whether you’ve used goose stock, and the amount specified of goose or duck meat, and whether you added the cranberries, the risotto may or may not taste quite rich. If it tastes too rich, a splash of acid will balance the flavor.) The texture should be creamy and slightly runny. Add ¼ cup more stock (or hot water if you’ve run out of stock) just before serving.
6.
Spoon into warmed large shallow bowls or onto warmed plates and sprinkle with the cracklings, if you have them, and parsley. Serve immediately, offering additional cheese on the side.