Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Duck Confit And Swiss Chard Food

SHEET-PAN GNOCCHI WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 ̊ F. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Toss the gnocchi, squash, tomatoes, red onion, pancetta, garlic, sage, rosemary, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Spread out on the baking sheet. Bake until the gnocchi, squash and red onion are tender and lightly browned around the edges and the tomatoes are blistered in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Scatter the arugula over the gnocchi mixture and gently toss. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with the cheese.

DUCK BREAST WITH RED WINE SAUCE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH GNOCCHI

Steps:

• For the red wine sauce: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the mustard seeds and shallots until the shallots are translucent. Add the beets and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, orange juice, vinegar and honey, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until reduced to about 1 cup (250 ml), about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in another saucepan, bring the veal stock to a boil, then let it reduce to about 1 cup (250 ml) over low heat, about 30 minutes.
• Strain the wine mixture through a fine sieve set over the pan of reduced veal stock, pressing down on the vegetables to extract maximum flavor; discard the solids. Stir the sauce, then continue to cook over low heat until slightly thick, about 15 minutes. Add the butter, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• For the duck breasts: Score the duck on the skin side. Remove the excess fat around the breast, and remove the tip, if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the duck breast, skin-side down, in a room-temperature skillet with no oil. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the duck breasts rest on a cutting board for about 5 minutes.
• Slice the duck. Divide the Butternut Squash Gnocchi among plates. Top with the Roasted Fennel and duck. Add a spoonful of sauce and serve.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and flour them to prevent the gnocchi from sticking.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over each squash half and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, cut-sides down, and bake for 1 hour. Let cool.
• Scoop the flesh of the squash into the bowl of a food processor. Add the eggs, flour, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Process just until the dough is soft (depending on the size of the squash, you might need more flour). Do not over mix.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Roll portions of dough into long ropes that are 2 centimeters (about 3/4-inch) in diameter. Cut ropes crosswise into pieces that are 2 centimeters (about 3/4-inch) long. Transfer the prepared baking sheet.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Transfer the gnocchi with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer to a bowl of icy cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the gnocchi until golden. Add the veal stock and butter, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the gnocchi are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chives and cheese.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning to sear all sides, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

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.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SWISS CHARD LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss your sliced butternut squash with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and spread the squash onto the baking sheet. If it doesn't all fit use a second baking sheet, or layer it. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender, but not too mushy. RESIST TEMPTATION: DO NOT EAT IT ALL BEFORE YOU FINISH THE OTHER PARTS OF THE LASAGNA ; ).
• While the squash is roasting you can complete the other parts....
• SAUCE.
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, and cook until golden (be careful not to burn it). Reduce the heat, and carefully pour the tomato sauce into the pan. It might start to pop, so keep the lid nearby. Stir the garlic and sauce, then add the nutritional yeast, herbs and black pepper. Cover, and allow the sauce to cook while you work on the next part.
• SWISS CHARD & MUSHROOMS.
• Heat a tablespoon, or two, of olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of sea salt, and stir. The cooking will draw the moisture out of the mushrooms, so don't worry if the pan seems too dry. Once they've begun to sweat (moisten), add the swiss chard, tarragon, and rosemary. Stir well, and remove from heat.
• TOFU "CHEESE".
• Break the tofu up and place it in a food processor. Process until smooth, then add the nutritional yeast, vinegar and salt. Process again to incorporate it all, and taste to see if you need to add any more salt.
• ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA.
• Now that you've got all the parts complete you can assemble the lasagna.
• To do this you will place a layer of squash on the bottom of the baking dish. Follow that with some of the "cheese", follow that with some of the mushroom mix (squeeze excess liquid from the mushrooms and greens before layering), then the sauce, then the squash again. Continue to layer the ingredients until you've used them all. Use about 1/2 cup of "cheese", sauce and mushrooms on each layer. I like my top layer to have all the ingredients visible.
• Place the lasagna back in the oven and bake for 40 minutes (or 30 if you just can't wait).

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, WITH SWISS CHARD OR SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Peel squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds from the center and discard. Cut squash into large chunks. Coat with olive oil. Season seasoned salt and and rosemary to taste and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 45=60 minutes stir half way through, roast until well caramelized.
• Coat shallots and garlic with olive oil. Season to taste with seasoned salt and spread on a second lined baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until well caramelized.
• If using Swiss chard stir fry the stems for 2-3 minutes. If using tender greens just toss into the hot butternut without cooking before serving to just wilt. Swiss chard, kale and or collards you just want to lightly cook or eat raw for the good for you enzymes. If you don`t like it firm and crisp go ahead and simmer until desired texture is reached.
• When squash, shallots, and garlic are done, toss with greens, tossed pine nuts, sage and cranberries. Serve immediately.