Queso Verde Corn Gnocchi

Queso Verde Corn Gnocchi

Recipe: Alex Heugel

Components

Ingredients

Gnocchi

  • 2 C All-Purpose Flour + some for dusting
  • 1 C whole Milk Ricotta cheese
  • 1 Egg – beaten
  • ¼ C finely grated Parmesan cheese

Corn Cob Stock

  • 2 Corn Cobs
  • 4 C Water

Queso Verde Corn Puree

  • 2 ears of Corn – shucked and shelled
  • ¼ C Water
  • 2 T LifeSpice Queso Verde Seasoning
  • ½ t Salt

Roasted Corn

  • 1 ear of Corn, shucked
  • 1 small Shallot, small dice
  • 2 cloves of Garlic, minced
  • ¼ t coarsely ground Black Pepper
  • ¼ t Salt
  • 1 T Butter

Method

Gnocchi

  1. Add all ingredients besides egg into food processor.
  2. Turn on food processor and pour beaten egg through the hole, keep running until dough forms.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until it’s smooth, about 3-4 minutes, dusting with flour if it’s too sticky.
  4. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Divide the dough into 6 even pieces, using your hands, roll the dough on a countertop into ½ inch thick “snake” like pieces.
  6. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough into ¾ inch pieces.
  7. Roll each piece on a gnocchi board to create a ridged surface and reserve on a lightly floured tray.

Corn Cob Stock

  1. Add corn cobs to a saucepan or small stock pot, cutting if necessary to fit in one layer.
  2. Cover corn cobs with water, place over high heat. Bring it to a boil and drop to a simmer for 1 hour. Strain and reserve.

Queso Verde Corn Puree

  1. Place corn kernels and water in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
  2. Strain corn mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan.
  3. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook until mixture comes to a boil.
  4. Once the mixture is boiling, it should naturally thicken, remove from heat and whisk in queso verde seasoning and salt.

Roasted Corn

  1. Place the corn on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Using a blowtorch, char the corn evenly on all sides. Alternatively, place the corn directly over a gas flame or in the broiler to char each side.
  2. Allow the corn to cool, then cut the kernels off the cob.
  3. Place a sauté pan over medium heat and add butter.
  4. Once the butter is melted, add the corn, shallots and garlic.
  5. Sauté this mixture until the shallots and garlic become fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Completed Dish

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. Gnocchi
  • 2 oz. Queso Verde corn puree
  • 2 oz. Corn Cob stock
  • 1 T cold Butter – diced
  • 1 t Lemon juice
  • 1 T grated Parmesan
  • 2 T Roasted Corn mixture – warmed
  • Boiling salted water for cooking pasta
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Add gnocchi to boiling water and cook until it floats to the surface, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. While gnocchi are cooking, add the corn cob stock to a sauté pan and place over medium heat.
  3. Using a spider or skimmer, remove the gnocchi directly from the water and place directly in the pan with the stock.
  4. Add puree into the pan and bring to a simmer, allow everything to cook together for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened and adheres to the pasta.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in cold butter until melted.
  6. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
  7. Add to a bowl and top with roasted corn mixture and parmesan.