Hearty Gnocchi with Herb Pesto

 Overview

This is the Recipe shared by Amanda Freitag from Food network on our company's Team Appreciation day. We had a Virtual cooking class with her and I followed her recipe and it came out real good.  This is the first time I made Gnocchi from scratch but with Chef Amandas instructions it was easy to follow and came out real good.

Hearty Gnocchi with Herb Pesto

Ingredients for Gnocchi

2 Large Idaho Potatoes

1/2 cup flour

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Steps

1. In a medium sauce pan cover the potatoes with salted water, keeping the skin on. Boil the potatoes until fork tender. ( I cooked the potatoes  whole in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles till it is cooked).

2. Drain the potatoes and cool down to a point where you can safely handle them. it is best to make this dough while the potatoes are still slightly warm.

3. Using a pairing knife carefully peel the cooked potatoes.

4. Pass the peeled potatoes through a ricer or push though a colander. ( I didn't have a ricer so used a boxed grater and grate the cooked potatoes)

5. Separate eggs retaining yolk in a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, flour, egg yolks, salt and pepper, use hands to combine being careful not to over mix.

6. Once the dough has come together, turn it onto to a clean lightly floured surface( you should work as fast as possible here to work with the dough while it is still warm and so it doesnt dry out before you cut the gnocchi) 

7. Separate roughly half the dough a little larger than a tennis ball

8. Use your hands to roll the dough back and forth until forms a 1 inch thick log of dough.

9. Working with one log at a time, use the tip of a chef's knife to divide the log into inch pieces. as you work, place the cut gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet pan covered with a slightly damp towel to prevent the gnocchi from drying out.

10. Repeat the process until all of the dough has been rolled and cut.

11. Once the gnocchi has been cut, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi into the water. When they float after about 2 minutes they are done.

12. Drain and serve immediately with the prepared pesto sauce.

Ingredients for Pesto Sauce

1 bunch flat leaf parsley( 1 cup)

1 bunch basil( 2 packed cups)

2 lemons ( zest and take juice)

3 medium garlic cloves

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

( I added additional 8 walnuts)

Steps

1. Pick the leaves from the stems of all herbs discard the stems. Roughly chop the garlic.

2. Place all ingredients in the blender, slowly streaming in the live oil until it is just combined. Do not over blend the pesto, it should be chunky. Tase and adjust seasoning.

Serving with the Gnocchi

Chestnut Mushroom Stuffing

Overview
A delicious stuffing you can serve as a side for any meat dish. Roasted chestnuts adds a very nice texture, flavor and aroma to this stuffing.

Chestnut Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients
Red Onions - 1 large finely chopped
Garlic - 4 - 6 cloves finely chopped
Celery - 2 stick finely chopped
Portobella mushrooms - 10 small finely chopped
Carrots - one large finely chopped
Ciabatta bread - 3 cups - cubes
Dried cranberries - 1 tablespoon
Fresh chestnuts - Roasted peeled and chopped - 8
Red pepper flakes - 1 tablespoon
Black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Olive oil - 4 tablespoons
Chicken broth - 1 - 2 cups
Salt to taste

Steps
1. With a sharp knife  make a cross on the fresh whole chestnut base and roast in a 400  degree oven for about 10 - 20 minutes until the chestnut skin begins to peel and a roasted aroma comes. take it out of oven let it cool peel and chop finely.
2. Heat oil in a pan when the oil gets hot add the finely chopped garlic and saute till the garlic gets light brown. add the red pepper flakes and saute few minutes.
3. add chopped red onions to the oil and saute few more minutes till it becomes soft. add the finely chopped mushrooms celery and carrots to this and saute uncovered . add salt and black pepper powder to this and mix well saute till all liquid is evaporated and it is dry.
4. add the chicken broth and cranberries to this mix well. add the Ciabatta bread cubes mix well. the mixture should not be too soggy. transfer to a baking dish.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes.

Serve hot as a side with any meat.

Onam 2020

Overview

Made a small Onam feast this year. Didd not make the complete sadhya since my sons could not come come but did make few dishes. 

Onam 2020 Special Dishes

Sambar

Avial

Cabbage thoran

Butternut squash ellissary

Beetroot Kichadi

Dhudhi Pullissery

Lemon Pickle

Pappadoms

Rice

Cauliflower Carrot pickle

 Overview

A delicious North Indian pickle that goes well with any Indian Bread.  The Cauliflower florets and the carrots should not be overcooked and should remain crunchy. As the pickle ages the pickle gravy infuses the vegetables and adds a very delicious taste to the pickle.

Ingredients for Cauliflower Carrot pickle

Cauliflower Carrot Pickle

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 1/2 cleaned and cut into bite size florets

Carrot - 1 - Peeled and cut into thin slices

Garlic -  6 - 8 cloves

Ginger - 2 inch piece

Red Chilly powder - 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds  1 teaspoon

cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida powder 1 teaspoon

White Vinegar - 1/3 cup.

Salt to taste

Oil - 3 tablespoons

Steps

1. Dry roast the fenugreek powder and grind to a smooth powder and keep aside.

2. In a blender grind the garlic, ginger, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, cumin seeds with vinegar and enough water to make a smooth paste.

3. Heat oil in a pan and when the oil gets hot add the ground paste to it and saute till the raw smell of the garlic ginger is gone and oil separates.

4. Add about 1/2 cup hot water to this and bring it to a boil and add the prepared cauliflower and carrots to this. Add enough salt and and the fenugreek seeds powder and asafoetida powder to this.

5. Bring this to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes mix well and turn off heat.

6. When the pickle comes to room temperature store it in a clean glass jar.

You can start using it after a week. Serve with any Indian bread