Spring has spring!
And…… finally we have more freedom to be out and about, it’s light now in the mornings which is a lot more inviting to wake up, get up and do stuff.
In nature the sturdier root veggies are making way for lighter spinach and asparagus, so this is cause for celebration!
In Ayurveda terms, these green vegetables detoxify the blood, soothe inflammation, act as a diuretic meaning we lose excess water retention, which is great as we swap jumpers for T-shirts!
The colours of this dish are a feast for the eyes, the herbs smell so fresh, the various tastes are indulgent, the mouth textures are varied and wonderful and just enjoy the sounds as you crunch, slurp and munch through the experience!
Crispy turmeric gnocchi & spring vegetable salad
Serves x4
Utensils: Potato Ricer
Ingredients
150g baby spinach leaves
300g asparagus, stalks trimmed, halved lengthways
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 handfuls of fresh pea pods – keep some peas in pod to decorate the plates
180g butternut squash diced into 1.5 cm square cubes
1 courgette, peeled into ribbons
500g gnocchi – recipe below*
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
250g smooth cashew ricotta – recipe below
Fresh baby mint leaves to garnish
Fresh baby basil leaves to garnish
Herb dressing
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh chives
½ tsp red chilli flakes (Aleppo)
1 tsp honey
Cashew paste
130g raw cashews soaked overnight in water then drained
30g lemon juice
50g water
40g olive oil
Mineral salt
Black pepper
1 garlic clove minced
METHOD
- Make gnocchi, then put into the refrigerator until ready to cook.
- Boil water in a large sauce pan. The same water will be used to blanch all the vegetables and then to cook the gnocchi
- Asparagus: Cook in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until bright green and tender. Remove using a spider spoon, transfer to a bowl. Refresh under cold water. Drain. Set aside.
- Peas: Keep a few in their pods for decoration, blanch in the same boiling water, then refresh and drain. Using scissors, cut along one edge of the pod to expose the peas. Set aside.
- Courgette: Peel into ribbons, flash blanch, then refresh and drain, set aside.
- Squash: Cook in same boiling water until tender, yet still firm, drain but do not refresh, as they will be sautéed later with the gnocchi.
- Herb dressing: Heat 1 tbs of the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from heat and add to a bowl with the remaining olive oil. When cool, stir in the lemon zest, juice, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cashew paste: Blend everything together. Taste & adjust accordingly.
Gnocchi
- If you don’t have time to make the gnocchi calmly and lovingly, it’s ok to use a packet instead!
Prep: 1 hour / Total: 1hour 50 mins
Ingredients
700g Russet potatoes, scrubbed and fork pierced all over (this variant are drier and starchier)
11/2 egg yolks, lightly beaten *
50g plain flour, divided, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp Mineral salt
*Adding yolks offers a more cohesive dough but without, the dough will be lighter yet more challenging to handle.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/450°F.
- Bake the potatoes for about 50 mins until completely tender throughout when pierced, then transfer whilst hot to a board and slice each potato in half lengthwise.
Using a big spoon, scoop the steaming potato out of the skins and into a ricer* and spread evenly onto a clean work surface, the even layer allows the steam to escape, (which gives a dryer consistency, therefore using less flour, which gives a lighter result).
* using a potato masher, isn’t a good idea, since the last thing you want to do is overwork the potato and develop the gluten!
- Drizzle the egg yolk all over the potato, then sieve 35g of flour and the turmeric powder on top, tapping to dust it evenly all over the potatoes.
Using a dough scraper (or spatula), chop down repeatedly all over to cut the flour and egg into the potato, and gather up into a loose ball, you want to avoid gluten developing.
Press the ball flat with your hands, then fold in half with your dough scraper and press down again.
- Scoop the remaining 15g flour into the sieve and dust all over the potato dough evenly.
Continue to gently fold and press, just until a uniform dough comes together. Avoid kneading, just fold and press to prevent it becoming starchy! Now form the dough into a log, using minimal flour to prevent sticking.
- Ensure the worktop is clean, then dust it with fresh flour. Using your dough scraper, slice off a roughly 5.5 cms thick portion of dough and hand roll into a ‘sausage’ about 1 cm thick; use a light touch, and lightly dusting as necessary with flour to prevent sticking.
Using the dough scraper, cut the sausages into uniform 2.5 cm portions. Transfer the gnocchi onto a well-floured baking sheet and repeat until all the dough is formed.
- Bring a large pot of very well-salted water to the boil.
Scoop up the gnocchi using a utensil and transfer to the boiling water. Stirring gently with a slotted spoon to prevent sticking.
- When the gnocchi begin floating to the surface they should be soft yet completely cooked through, 3-5 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the gnocchi directly into a frying pan with olive oil and brown on both sides.
To finish and assemble:
- Once the gnocchi is fried golden, place carefully on a baking sheet.
- Now start to fry the squash until it’s golden.
- Whilst the squash is cooking take the plates and decorate with the blanched vegetables, top with the warm gnocchi, spoon over the squash. Now dot some of the cashew cream on the plate. Drizzle with the herb dressing and scatter over the mint and basil leaves.
- Serve immediately
- Take a moment’s pause of gratitude. Enjoy
Notes:
Vata Dosha: Abstract concept of movement in the body and mind & activity – It benefits from warm unctuous foods and sweet, sour & salty tastes:
To keep Vata in balance, enjoy the gnocchi warm, be liberal with the cashew paste, cook the veggies a little longer and serve them warm.
Pitta Dosha: Metabolism, heat and energy – Pitta benefits from cooling, calming foods and sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.
Avoid the chilli in the herb dressing, enjoy the gnocchi boiled and avoid frying it, the cashew paste is balancing.
Kapha Dosha: Physical structure and fluid balance – it benefits from stimulating and drying foods and pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.
Enjoy more of the veggies and less gnocchi. Make the dressing more spicy with black pepper. Have less cashew paste.
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Love Laura x
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