Porcini gnocchi with salsify, peas, asparagus and baby spinach

Name: Porcini gnocchi with salsify, peas, asparagus and baby spinach
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: Serves 6

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for porcini gnocchi with salsify, peas, asparagus and baby spinach by Southern Ocean Lodge chef Tim Bourke.

Aug 25, 2008 6:13am

By Tim Bourke

Serves 6
30 mins preparation
2 hrs 25 mins cooking plus soaking

Porcini gnocchi with salsify, peas, asparagus and baby spinach

"My husband and I stayed at the new Southern Ocean Lodge resort on Kangaroo Island. All the food was fantastic but the porcini gnocchi with salsify, asparagus, peas and baby spinach was very different. Would you ask chef Tim Bourke for the recipe?"
Vicki Minear, Glen Osmond, SA

Request a recipe
To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant's name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Chef Tim Bourke also adds samphire to this dish. Popular in Europe as a seafood accompaniment, this succulent is harvested commercially on Kangaroo Island, but is not readily available on the mainland. You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Ingredients

200 gm podded peas (500gm unpodded)
2 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
1 lemon, juice only
250 gm salsify, trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces (see note)
20 gm butter
2 golden shallots, thinly sliced
50 gm almonds, roasted and halved widthways
250 gm baby spinach, washed and dried

Porcini gnocchi

500 gm rock salt
400 gm desiree potatoes
50 gm dried porcini, soaked in boiling water overnight
125 gm ‘00’ flour (see note)
1 egg, lightly beaten
For drizzling: olive oil

Beurre noisette

250 gm unsalted butter, chilled, coarsely chopped
½ lemon, juice only

Method

Main

1
For porcini gnocchi, preheat oven to 160C. Spread base of a large roasting pan with rock salt, place potatoes on top and roast until tender and cooked through (1-2 hours). While still hot, halve and scoop out flesh, then pass through a fine sieve or potato ricer into a bowl. Drain mushrooms, pat dry with absorbent paper, finely chop and add to potato with flour and egg. Bring together with hands to form a smooth dough and season to taste with sea salt. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, cut into 4 equal pieces, then roll each into 1cm-thick logs and cut into 1.5cm pieces.
2
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook gnocchi in batches until they come to the surface (1-2 minutes), then cook for another 10 seconds. Transfer gnocchi with a slotted spoon to a bowl of iced water. Drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
3
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Blanch peas and asparagus until tender (1-2 minutes), remove and refresh in iced water, then drain and set aside. Bring another saucepan of water to the boil, add lemon juice, season generously with sea salt, add salsify, cook until tender (8-10 minutes), remove and refresh in iced water, then drain and set aside.
4
For beurre noisette, melt butter in frying pan over medium heat and cook until golden and nut brown (5-7 minutes). Add lemon juice, season to taste, set aside and keep warm.
5
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add butter, then salsify and sauté until golden (2-3 minutes). Add gnocchi and cook until just starting to colour (3-5 minutes). Add asparagus, peas, shallot and almonds, tossing gently to combine, then add spinach and cook, stirring until just wilted. Add beurre noisette, toss to combine, season to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

Note Salsify is a root vegetable available from select greengrocers. Substitute with celeriac. '00' flour is a high-gluten flour available from select supermarkets.