Pumpkin Gnocchi With Bok Choy

INGREDIENTS

Gnocchi

• 1 small sweet pumpkin
• vegetable oil
• 2 lbs. or 1 kilo Yukon Gold potatoes, skins on
• 3 egg yolks
• 1-1/2 cups or 375 ml sifted flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Bok Choy

• 8 baby bok choy, trimmed and washed
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 cups or 500 ml mushroom consommé
• toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
• pumpkin seed oil for garnish 

DIRECTIONS

To prepare gnocchi

Preheat oven to 400° F. or 200° C. Cut pumpkin in half lengthwise and remove stem and seeds. Coat with a small amount of oil. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.

Place cut-side down on baking sheet and roast until soft, about 1 hour. Allow to cool.

Scrape pumpkin flesh from skin. Purée pumpkin in food processor and press through a fine-mesh sieve. Retain 1 cup or 250 ml purée for gnocchi. Any extra can be frozen in resalable plastic bags and used for another purpose.

In a pot, cover potatoes with salted water, bring to a boil and simmer until fork tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, remove skins. Pass potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl.

Combine potato, pumpkin purée and yolks until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and nutmeg and add freshly ground white pepper to taste. Slowly add dry ingredients to potato mixture. Knead until smooth. Continue as for gnocchi (see basic recipe).

To prepare bok choy

Blanch bok choy in a pot of boiling salted water for a minutes. Immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain and dry on paper towels.

Melt butter in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bok choy and season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Sauté until warmed through.

To assemble

Heat consommé and adjust seasonings. Rewarm gnocchi in consommé.
In each of 4 serving bowls place 1/4 cup or 60 ml consommé and some gnocchi.
Place two bok choy on top. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and drizzle pumpkin seed oil around the consommé.

Pasta With Tuna And Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

8 plum tomatoes, about 1 1/4 lb. total, halved lengthwise
2 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. pasta shells
2 lb. tuna fillets, each about 3/4 inch thick
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

Preheat an oven to 450°F. Prepare a hot fire in a grill.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Arrange them, cut sides up, on the sheet and season with salt. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then cut in half crosswise.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Set aside.

Brush both sides of the tuna fillets with 1 Tbs. of the oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Place on the grill rack 4 to 6 inches above the fire and grill until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more for medium, or until done to your liking. Transfer to a cutting board, let cool and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.

In a food processor or blender, combine the basil leaves and the remaining 1/2 cup oil. Pulse or blend until chopped to a coarse puree. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pulse or blend until combined.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes and any accumulated juices, tuna, mozzarella, parsley and basil dressing. Toss gently and serve. Serves 8.

Picante Pasta With Salmon

INGREDIENTS

2 box (8 oz / 227 g) Pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb salmon fillet, with skin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup pitted green olives (we prefer the herbed olives at the olive bar)
1&1/2 Tbsp finely minced garlic
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cans diced tomatoes, with Italian seasonings
1/2 cup grated parmesan

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large non-stick skillet heat oil over a medium high heat. Cut 3 diagonal slits into salmon skin to prevent it from curling. Sprinkle both sides of salmon with salt and pepper. Add to skillet, skin side down. Cook 5 minutes or until the skin is browned and crispy. Flip fish over. Cook 5 minutes more, or until fish is almost cooked through. Remove salmon to plate. Do not wash out skillet.

Add green olives, garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic starts to turn golden. Add diced tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add fish, skin side up. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse pasta briefly. Remove fish from skillet. Add drained pasta and parmesan to skillet. Toss until noodles and sauce are well combined. Transfer pasta to platter and top with fish, skin side up. Serve immediately.