Who’s Gnocching at the door?

Chef Kev is! Okay, so maybe he isn’t technically gnocching at the door since he lives here but it makes a funny headline no?

As I’ve been working at sprucing up the deck, Chef Kev has been busy in the kitchen (as per usual) and came up with another stellar masterpiece (which, I might add, we enjoyed on said deck). Yummy times.

Here’s how he did it:

Chicken Mushroom Gnocchi

The key to this dish is to introduce earthy tastes (thyme, sage, mushroom) to compliment the gnocchi.

For this yummy creation you’ll want to time your two main ingredients (gnocchi and chicken) so that they finish cooking at around the same time – so do a bit of math first. Did I mention Chef Kev is also a Certified General Accountant? I’m just glad that I’m a designer and only in charge of making things look pretty. I’m not a fan of pop quizzes. Anyway….

Gnocchi: Purchase some gnocchi at the store (ours was the ‘Italissima’ brand) and prepare according to package instructions. Chef Kev note: he wants to attempt to make his own some day (and you SO know I’m gonna blog about that) but for now, this brand makes a great quick yummy gnocchi. 

Chicken: In a sauce pan melt some butter and little olive oil on medium heat. Once melted add: two diced  shallots, a clove (or two) of minced garlic and cubed chicken breast. Next, add the following herbs WHOLE (for flavour purposes while cooking): a couple of fresh sprigs of rosemary, a couple sprigs of fresh thyme and a few sage leaves. Add some sliced mushrooms. Once chicken is almost fully cooked remove the whole herbs and add some chicken stock (enough to deglaze while still keeping the chicken moist). Once that has cooked down a bit add some heavy cream. Add salt and pepper and some dried thyme Chef Kev note: taste along the way to test your seasoning level and adjust accordingly. Let this reduce down until desired thickness (feel free to add corn starch or flour to help this process). Turn pan off when done and let sit.

Once your gnocchi is done, have another sauce pan ready with melted butter and olive oil (on medium high heat). Add gnocchi to pan and fry for a few minutes until it has a bit of texture on the outside. Add gnocchi to chicken mixture pan and combine.

Serve in a bowl and finish with freshly chopped chive. Salt and pepper to taste (if desired).

Tomatoe Bocconcini Salad (with a maple twist)

This is a great casual summer salad. The large chunky pieces add to this feeling of laid back dining.

In a bowl add mixed baby greens, grape and/or cherry tomatoes (cut in half), one minced shallot, some peeled and chopped english cucumber and of course, Bocconcini! It does not matter what size Bocconcini but Chef Kev used ‘cherry size’ for this dish.

To make the vinaigrette combine: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add in quantities to your liking of acidity and taste.

You’re almost done – add to salad and toss.! Don’t over dress, no one likes a salad that comes too dressed for a casual dinner party.

Enjoy!

And if you take a sip of wine for every time I said gnocchi then you’ll really be having a good time.