Chefs’ least favourite Thanksgiving sides — and substitution recipes.
Executive chef, Citizen Catering, Toronto
Out with
I grew up with boiled gross rutabaga, so get rid of that! I’ve been scarred for life by it.
Bring on
I always do a gnocchi for Thanksgiving. I lived in Italy for almost five years and it’s just another excuse for me to serve gnocchi to my family.
THE RECIPE
250g Swiss chard (blanched and chopped)
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
3 Tbsp chopped shallots
2 Tbsp olive oil
200g Gorgonzola (crumbled)
50g black walnuts (toasted) Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
Gnocchi
200g Ricotta
200g Russet potato (Baked on a bed of salt)
3 yolks
150g all-purpose flour
50g Parmesan
1 Tbsp melted butter
1. Bake russet potatoes in a 400 F oven for 40 min. Let stand just until cool enough to handle. Working quickly and protecting the hand that holds the potatoes with a folded kitchen towel or oven mitt, scrape the skin from the potato with a paring knife. Press the peeled potatoes through a potato ricer.
2. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together. Repeatedly rub this rough dough from your hands and scrape it with a knife or dough scraper from the work surface back into the dough as you knead.
3. Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with some of the remaining flour. Cut the dough into six equal pieces and set off to one side of the work surface. Place one piece of dough in front of you and pat it into a rough oblong. Using both hands, in a smooth back-and-forth motion and exerting light downward pressure, roll the dough into a rope 1/2 inch thick, flouring the dough if necessary as you roll to keep it from sticking. Cut small 1/2 inch dumplings and place them on a floured sheet pan. (At this point you can freeze the gnocchi.)
4. In a large skillet over medium heat sweat the garlic and shallots in olive oil for 20 seconds. Add the Swiss chard to the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Blanch the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water and add it to the pan. Stir in the butter, Gorgonzola, a splash of the boiling water, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving bowl and top with black walnuts.