Gnocchi with caramelized leeks and cream

It is always a happy day when we go to pick up our CSA farm share at Woven Roots. Because we are now empty-nesters, we only bought a half-share and pick up every other weekend. I love walking into the tent and seeing what’s on the tables each time, and then, of course, I start to come up with recipes in my head for my treasures.

This weekend we got leeks (among lots of other veggies). I adore leeks! We also had some refrigerated gnocchi and some High Lawn Farm heavy cream that were nearing their expiration dates, and so I knew exactly what I was going to make for dinner!

Sautéing shelf- or refrigerator-stable gnocchi makes for a super easy one-pan meal. It also allows for the gnocchi to absorb all the flavors from the pan, and with farm-fresh leeks, this was a winner!

We also picked probably the last pint of cherry tomatoes for the year at Woven Roots yesterday. To go with dinner, we devised a variation on the cherry tomato Caesar salad from the NYTimes Cooking site as a side dish. To make it easier with what I had on hand, I used a bit of my favorite maple-Dijon vinaigrette from The Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook, and added a bit of anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice, and garnished it with some Parmesan.

Skillet Gnocchi with Leeks & Cream

Serves 2

1 medium leek
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Dash nutmeg
Leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme
12 ounces shelf- or refrigerator-stable gnocchi
¾ cup High Lawn or other high quality heavy cream
Zest of ½ lemon
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish, optional
Grated Parmesan for serving

Because leeks can often hide soil between layers, cut the leek lengthwise and examine for any trapped dirt or dust. If necessary, rinse those sections under cold running water and pat dry. Slice the leek halves into thin half-moons, cutting all of the white portion and as much of the light green as possible. Do not use the tough, dark green portions.

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the butter is fully melted and just beginning to sizzle. Add the leek pieces to the pan with the salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring from time to time, until the leeks soften. Add the nutmeg and thyme, and continue to cook the leeks until they begin to caramelize.

Clear out some space in the pan and add the gnocchi. It doesn’t matter if some of the gnocchi end up on top of leek pieces, but you want most of them lying flat, directly touching the pan. If the leeks have absorbed too much of the butter and oil, add another tablespoon or two of olive oil as needed.

Cook the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Don’t worry if they do not all get turned as it is difficult to keep track, but try to make sure most of the gnocchi are getting contact with the pan on at least one side and beginning to get a little crisp.

Add the heavy cream and the lemon zest and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, and allow the cream to warm through and to thicken.

Garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley, if desired, and be sure to serve grated Parmesan at the table.

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Skillet Gnocchi with Leeks & Cream