There is not much else to say about this dish, than “WOW!” This is a super simple and easy, perfect Autumn weeknight meal. Every year when we are in Seattle, I spend a significant amount of time (and money) at Delaurenti – Specialty Food and Wine, at the Pike Place Market. They have a great selection of artisanal foods, gluten-free products, wines and chocolates (and so so much more). That is the only place I have ever found gluten-free gnocchi. They are imported from an Italian company called rustichella d’abruzzo . So each year, I pick up a bag or two and I usually just serve them with a little fresh marinara and some nice cheese. I came across this recipe on Food & Wine’s website recently and decided to give it a try with the gnocchi I bought this year. I definitely want to find a great recipes for homemade gluten-free gnocchi (if you know of one, please send it my way) and I am sure that would take this dish over the top, but for a weeknight, packaged or frozen artisanal gnocchi is perfect. You could also use a homemade chicken, mushroom or vegetable stock as well, but since I didn’t have any homemade stock on hand, I went with a low-sodium organic free-range chicken stock. Certainly you could also use a store-bought vegetable or mushroom stock to make this recipe vegetarian. And obviously, if you aren’t gluten-free buy a nice store-bought gnocchi (frozen or fresh) or make your favorite gnocchi recipe. I unfortunately didn’t get my hands on any truffle oil to finish this, but that just means I will have to make this again with fresh homemade gluten-free gnocchi and truffle oil. Darn!
Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms
serves 4
adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, November 2006
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 – 1/2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms, stemmed if necessary and thickly sliced (I had a nice mix of baby bella, shiitake, oyster, porcini and chanterelle)
2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup dry vermouth
3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth (you can also use vegetable or mushroom broth or stock, to make this vegetarian)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh or frozen prepared gluten-free gnocchi (I love rustichella d’abruzzo brand gluten-free gnocchi)
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon white truffle oil (optional)
Preheat the broiler. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil with the butter. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until evaporated. Add the stock, cream and thyme, season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add the gnocchi to the mushrooms and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top.
Broil the gnocchi 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Drizzle with truffle oil and serve.
