NNM--Vegetarian Entree

Oh how I love this recipe! It was featured in Sunset Magazine this past year as a "spectacular main dish" for a vegetarian Thankgiving. I could not agree more! I knew from previous experience that making gnocchi from scratch is a time investment so I went ahead and made a double batch of the gnocchi so I could freeze half of it for a later date. Since I've already highlighted sweet potatoes this month, I chose the SPINACH in the "sauce" (which is actually more brothy that saucy) as the key ingredient. Spinach is very high in vitamins K and A as well as iron (think Popeye!) It's important to keep in mind that the form of iron found in spinach (and any other plant sources of iron) is not well absorbed by the body. Pairing it with a food that is high in vitamin C (such as citrus, strawberries, bell peppers etc) will improve absorption.

Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach

Yield: 12 servings

Gnocchi
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
3 pounds orange-flesh sweet potatoes (often labeled "yams"), boiled until tender, peeled, and flesh puréed
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
About 3 cups flour

Assembly
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1 pound mixed mushrooms such as chanterelle, cremini, king trumpet, matsutake, and oyster* (I used cremini and shitake)
2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons butter
12 ounces baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided

1. Make gnocchi: Drain ricotta in a strainer over sink, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups sweet- potato purée (save extra for another use), strained ricotta, sugar, cheese, salt, and nutmeg. Gently stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.
3. Working on a floured surface, divide dough into 8 portions. Roll each portion with your hands into a 15-in. rope, then cut into 1-in. pieces, sprinkling dough with flour if it gets sticky. Transfer gnocchi to a rimmed tray lightly dusted with flour.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Working in batches of 15 to 20, drop gnocchi into water, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook until gnocchi are firm and float to top of water, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a strainer and then to a lightly oiled rimmed pan to cool.
5. Assemble gnocchi: Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add gnocchi to pan and cook, stirring often, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large serving dish.
6. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp. oil in a second large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic and shallots until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, butter, spinach, salt, and pepper; cover and cook until spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.
7. Spoon vegetables over gnocchi and pour in broth. Sprinkle with thyme and half of parmesan. Serve with remaining cheese.

*Leave whole any soft mushrooms such as oysters and slice or quarter large, dense mushrooms like the cremini and king trumpets.

Make ahead: Prepare through step 3. Cover and chill up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 weeks.

CALORIES 364 (31% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 5.3g); CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49g; SODIUM 1021mg; PROTEIN 14g; FIBER 4.2g

Sunset, NOVEMBER 2009