Sunday, February 5, 2017

Gnocchi with Leeks & Sausage in a Creamy Mushroom sauce

This recipe is totally sublime. If you're looking for a flavorful, hearty, and rich-like-a-millionaire recipe to knock your socks off, this is a sure bet!  It's a smokey, warm dish with plenty of protein and finished with a smooth mushroom sauce while the leeks play a subtle role and the tomatoes add freshness. The gnocchi help hold the deep flavors together, but it could be done with fettucine.

The Farmer Beczki sausage should be found at any Polish or Euro deli. It's a delightfully smokey sausage, and pairs well the gnocchi and mushrooms and adds flavor to the chicken.


Main Ingredients

250g gnocchi
300g or 2 chicken breasts, diced small
100g Farmer Beczki sausage, sliced
1 Leek, sliced into medallions
1 cup Crimini mushrooms sliced or quartered
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 tsp oil

Sauce 

1 tbsp +1 tsp butter
4 Crimini mushrooms washed and sliced thinly
1/2 cup dry White Wine
1 clove garlic crushed
1/4 tsp Savory or Thyme
1/2 cup milk
Salt &, fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tsp flour
**Option to also add cream cheese and/or sour cream to make a richer, tangy sauce.

Assembly

Set water to boil with salt for the gnocchi.

In a saucepan, begin making the sauce by melting the tbsp of butter over low-medium heat, and add the mushrooms salt and pepper once melted. Continue to cook until the mushrooms wilt and begin to become darker. Add the white wine, thyme, and garlic and bring to a simmer while stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, set aside on a bowl.  In the saucepan begin melting the 1tsp butter and then slowly add the flour stirring constantly. Continue cooking the roux until it's a nice brown color then begin adding the milk slowly.**  Add the mushrooms and wine slowly back into the saucepan and continue simmering at a low heat.

**Add the cream cheese and sour cream and stir until melted and smooth. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer.

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat oil and add the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until no pink is showing, about 6-7 minutes. Next add the sliced beczki sausage, leeks, mushrooms, and garlic and continue to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and continue to sauté for 5 minutes then turn off heat.

Cook the gnocchi per package directions, drain and add to the chicken and sausage and cover with sauce. Serve with Parmesan flakes and parsley if available.