Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Duck Confit And Swiss Chard Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH GNOCCHI WITH DUCK CONFIT AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Arrange squash halves, cut sides down, in an oiled shallow baking pan and put potatoes alongside. Roast vegetables in middle of oven until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer squash to a cutting board and potatoes to oven rack, then continue to roast potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes more.
• When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh from squash, discarding skin, then force flesh through ricer into a bowl. Measure out 3/4 cup purée and put in another bowl (reserve remainder for another use). Remove skin from potatoes while still hot and force flesh through ricer into bowl with squash. Spread squash-potato purée in another shallow baking pan and cool completely.
• Return purée to bowl and stir in egg, cheese, thyme, sage, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Add flour, then gently knead dough by hand 1 minute (it will be soft and slightly sticky).
• Turn dough out onto a floured cutting board and cut into 3 portions. Gently roll each portion into a long log about 3/4 inch thick. Cut each log into 3/4-inch pieces with a floured knife.
• Press a piece of dough against tines of a floured fork and push with a floured thumb in a forward motion toward end of tines, letting gnocchi fall from fork onto a floured kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
• Cook duck legs, skin sides down, in batches in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and some of fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Transfer duck to cleaned cutting board, then discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, reserving skillet.
• When duck is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones, then pull meat into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet and remove from heat. Cook gnocchi in 3 batches in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until centers are cooked through, about 3 minutes. (Gnocchi will float to top after about 1 1/2 minutes.) Transfer as cooked with a slotted spoon to butter in skillet.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in chard and salt. Cook, covered, just until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• While chard is wilting, heat reserved duck fat in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté duck, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add chard, including any cooking liquid, and duck to gnocchi and cook over moderate heat, tossing gently, until heated through. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

GNOCCHI WITH ROASTED SQUASH & GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the squash into a roasting tin with the garlic and oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Roast for 20 mins, shaking the pan halfway through, until tender and golden.
• Meanwhile, boil the gnocchi according to pack instructions. With a few secs to go, throw in the spinach, then drain the gnocchi and spinach together. Tip into the roasting tin, then mix everything together well, mashing the softened garlic. Spoon onto warm serving plates, then crumble over the cheese to serve.

SQUASH GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the squash into a roasting tray. Toss with the garlic, thyme and olive oil, then season. Cover the dish with foil and roast for 40 mins until soft. Leave to cool slightly.
• When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the flesh and use a spatula to force it through a fine sieve. Tip into a clean pan, then gently cook for 30-40 mins until reduced to a dense mass that comes away from the sides of the pan. Leave to cool.
• You will have around 175g once cooked down. Tip purée into a bowl, then season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix in the egg, flour and 65g of the parmesan. You should have a soft pliable dough so, if it's too wet, add more flour until it's the right consistency.
• Take a third of the dough and, on a floured surface, roll into a long strip about the thickness of your thumb. Cut the strip into little pillows about 3cm long, then press each one gently with the back of a fork. repeat with the remaining dough.
• Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then drop in the gnocchi in batches. Cook until they float, then give them a minute more before scooping out and putting them in a bowl of iced water. When they're all cooked, drain well.
• To serve, heat a grill to high. Melt the butter in a large pan until sizzling, then throw in the chilli and sage - sizzle for a minute before throwing in the gnocchi and tossing through. tip into a heatproof dish, scatter with parmesan, flash under the grill until browned, then serve immediately.