Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Hot on the heels of the homemade gnocchi post, diabetes and pregnancy here’s another method for cooking fresh gnocchi that will make those little potato pasta pillows even more delicious and addicting. Pan fry them until they’re crisp and brown. I would describe the taste as a cross between pasta and a french fry. MMM. There’s nothing better than that!
As with the last batch of gnocchi, I didn’t want to smother them in sauce. I wanted them to really shine. So, I sauteed some kale with basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and serrano peppers. The greens were spicy and garlicky and lemony and the perfect compliment to the crisp, starchy gnocchi.
I used a batch of frozen homemade gnocchi for this dish — it went straight from the freezer into the oiled pan and crisped up nicely. You can also use fresh and frozen gnocchi, but I would avoid the shrink-wrapped kind you find in the pasta aisle. You’ll lose all of the creamy potato-ness if you go that route.
This dish came together in under 20 minutes and is delicious and fancy enough for guests. Just make sure you make a whole bunch — people will be wanting seconds.
Shamless Plug: Head over to Kelly Spitzer’s Flavor a Deux to read her “Foodie Spotlight” all about yours truly. I had a great time working with her on this interview. Thanks Kelly!
Crisp Gnocchi with Lemon & Garlic Greens
2 – 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
About 40 fresh or frozen gnocchi
1/2 cup (loosely packed) basil leaves, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped kale
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon
Parmesan cheese for grating
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add about 1 – 2 tbsp. olive oil. Once it’s hot, place half the gnocchi in the pan. Leave them undisturbed for 5 – 7 minutes on each side, Checking the bottom of a gnocchi occasionally until they’re deeply golden, then flip. You want to make sure not to move them around too much or they won’t develop their golden crust.
Once they’re done, remove them to a plate, then add more oil and make the remaining gnocchi. When all the gnocchi is done, add the kale, basil, garlic, serrano and lemon juice to the hot pan. Sautee for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the garlic begins to brown.
Divide the gnocchi among 2 plates and top with the kale mixture. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.
It’s officially Sports Food season. Baseball playoffs are coming soon (go Red Sox!), shop
college football is in full swing (go Eagles!) and the NFL is taking over Sundays and Mondays (go…uh…). This means lots of nachos, 7-layer dip, pizza, buffalo wings, blue cheese and other assorted Sporty Foods.
I happen to love Sporty foods. Last year, I made delicious chorizo nachos and boneless (organic and whole wheat) buffalo fingers for the Super Bowl. It’s all about bold, hearty food that pairs nicely with a beer, or two, or three… But soup? Can soup be a Sporty Food? Why yes, yes it can. This weekend, I made Loaded Baked Potato soup. Thick, creamy, topped with bacon, cheese and hot peppers, this soup can definitely hold its weight during the baseball playoffs or a football tailgating session.
You can set your soup station up like you would a taco or baked potato station: a big pot of soup, bowls and toppings. Begin with your potato soup and layer on as many toppings as you’d like. Go crazy here – anything goes. Personally, I’m all about bacon bits, cheddar cheese, chopped spinach, sour cream and jalapenos. It’s a fun, Sunday kind of soup, even if you’d rather curl up with a good book or episode of Gossip Girl (What? Everyone has their guilty pleasures…) than a football team.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
1.5 tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium-sized Idaho (or creamer) potatoes (roughly 2.5 lbs.), diced
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek-style Yogurt is perfect here)
Toppings:
1 cup chopped spinach
6 slices bacon, cooked til crisp
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 – 2 jalapeno or serrano peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
More topping ideas:
Green onions
Chives
Diced tomato
Fresh salsa
Sauteed or steamed Broccoli
Sauteed mushrooms
Anything you like to put on your baked potato goes!
Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are just starting to become translucent.
Add the diced potatoes and simmer for another couple of minutes, then add the chicken stock. Let the stock come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and stir in the yogurt.
Transfer half of the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender) to puree about half of the soup. The potatoes should still be somewhat chunky, but also creamy.
Serve immediately and top with your favorite toppings.
Makes 6 servings.