So my mother loves a good deal. As long as I can remember she's been finding the best way to get the most for her money (and best quality too) for her 6 girls. She recently came across a wild deal on canned pumpkin and kindly shared. Needless to say, since then we've all been eating A LOT of pumpkin. I'm normally all for the fresh stuff (like our pro gardening sister talks about here), but, when you've got it, use it.
So...how to use all of this pumpkin. Seeing flat after flat of canned pumpkin reminded me that a few years ago, my non-cooking husband made me a knock-out dinner for my birthday. He really went all out. Pumpkin coconut ravioli (all hand made) with brown butter and sage. It took him about 7 hours. (No, I'm not kidding.) I really loved that meal, and with all of the pumpkin around, I thought I'd try a deconstructed, super simple version of that to share with my family for Valentine's Day. It was a hit.
If you do a quick Internet search, there are many pumpkin sauces floating around. Eating Well just did a feature on pumpkin-based sauce that also included gnocchi. I borrowed a few of their tricks while in the recipe testing phase (like adding mushrooms and sherry). My version feels very rich and decadent, but I cut out much of the cream and other fat to make this a lighter version than most. I hope you enjoy.
This recipe was designed to be a quick meal for a special occasion. No, I did not hand make the gnocchi. I have done it many times before...but it is exhausting. I will do it again, and maybe even share my tips and tricks here, but for now, enjoy this quick and flavor-packed version.
Gnocchi:
If you've made your own gnocchi, drain it and dry on a towel until excess moisture is gone. If using pre-prepared gnocchi, slice open the package (and now you know why I called this a quick meal prep).
1. Heat 1-2 tablespoons coconut or extra virgin olive oil and one tablespoon butter (we like Kerrygold grass-fed butter) over medium-high heat in a large skillet or pan.
2. Let the oil or butter get super hot, and toss in 7-8 fresh sage leaves that have been rolled and sliced very thinly. Let the sage fry a bit and turn very dark green (1 minute or so).
3. Reduce to medium heat and add in the gnocchi and let it plump up and get a nice crust (about 5-6 minutes). Set them aside and cover to keep warm.
Sauce:
1. In the same pan (leave all of sage bits!), add in 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil) over medium heat. Finley chop two small shallots or one half a small red onion and add to the oil. Add in a generous amount of pepper and about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Cook until fragrant and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Tip: Shallots are a staple in our house. They give such wonderful flavor without overpowering. They are especially great in vinaigrettes and things that will not be cooked. I ran out of shallots the last time I made this dish and used half of a small red onion. It worked great, but the onion must be finely diced.
2. If using mushrooms, clean and prep white button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms (the best way is to wipe them clean with a damp towel). Finely dice about half a large package (4-5 ounces). If you really like mushrooms, take liberties here with the amount. You made need to add in a splash more oil or a splash of veggie broth if you double the amount.
3. While the mushrooms are going, chop up about 3-4 tablespoons lactino kale (any kale will work, but lactino kale - sometimes called dino kale - works well for this dish because it is not curly and has a deeper green color like sage). Cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms have reduced in size and both the mushrooms and kale are very soft.
4. Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons sherry or white wine. I had neither the day I made this version, so I used 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Tip: Buying dried mushrooms (especially in the expensive varieties like baby bella, porcini, crimini, or morel) is a great way to keep them for a longer period of time without wasting money. Simply soak them in very hot (nearly boiling) water for 10-15 minutes while they rehydrate (see picture below). This really is best when you know you will be chopping the mushrooms and not leaving them whole or in large slices.
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| Rehydrating dried portabello mushrooms. |
4. Add in 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (make sure to strain off excess liquid if using fresh) and 1/2 cup water.
5. Last, add in 1-2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) and 1/4-1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk (UNSWEETENED!!) until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. I chose not to use the canned coconut milk because I did not want the extra fat and thickness. If using coconut milk, the boxed or refrigerated variety works just fine.
6.Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. I also added in a bit more sage at the. Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional).
I hope you enjoy!!
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