Ricotta Gnocchi with Chanterelles and Peas

For the Gnocchi:

4 cups ricotta (from two 16-ounces containers)

2 large eggs

1 cup finely grated Parmesan

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

Line a baking dish with 3 layers of paper towels; spoon ricotta onto paper towels and let sit 20 minutes (if the ricotta is too wet, the dough won’t hold together).

Combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, and salt in a food processor; season with pepper and process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just to combine (mixture should be smooth and fairly wet). Transfer gnocchi mixture to a pastry bag fitted with 1/2″ round tip or a large resealable plastic bag.

Bring a large wide pot of water to a boil. Add some salt and then reduce the heat to simmering. If using a resealable plastic bag for gnocchi mixture, cut a 1/2″ opening in bottom of bag. Working in 3 batches, pipe dough into pot, cutting off 1″ lengths with a paring knife and letting dough drop into water. Cook until doubled in size, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a lightly oiled baking sheet.

*The gnocchi mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastry tip and chill.

For the Gnocchi Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more

2 shallots, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

2 cup chanterelles, cleaned cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup shelled fresh peas (from about 1 pound pods) or frozen peas, thawed

¼ cup chicken or vegetables stock

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Chopped fresh chives, finely grated Parmesan, and finely grated lemon zest

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and then cook until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

Add gnocchi, peas, butter, and the stock to skillet with chanterelles. Cook, tossing gently, until vegetables are warm and sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with chives, Parmesan, and lemon zest.

Duck Noodle Soup

For the Broth:

2 Pekin ducks with giblets*

salt and pepper

1 T. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

4 quarts chicken stock

4 ½ “-thick slices fresh ginger

1 cinnamon stick, crushed

2 whole cloves

4 star anise 

To Garnish:

8 sprigs cilantro

1 cup bean sprouts

16 dried shiitake mushroom, reconstituted

4 baby bok choy

1 green onion, thinly sliced

6 small chilies, sliced thinly

Garlic chili sauce

For the Noodles:

½ lb of fresh ramen or other wheat noodles

Remove the giblet bag form the duck. Chop up neck, Reserve the liver for another dish. Remove the legs and the breasts from the duck. . Reserve the duck legs for another dish. Chop up the duck carcass with a cleaver, removing as much of the skin as you can. Score the skin on the breast. Season with salt and pepper. Put on a plate and refrigerate.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot. Brown the chopped up neck, giblets (heart and gizzard) and carcass in batches, being careful not to burn them but getting the well browned. Remove pieces to a plate.

Add the vegetables and cook until golden brown. Return the carcass to the pot along with the chicken stock, ginger cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 hours, skimming off the fat and scum that comes to the surface as it cooks.

When the stock is ready, strain through a fine-meshed strainer.

While the duck broth is cooking, cook the duck breasts. Place them, skin side down in a frying pan over a medium low heat and cook slowly, rendering out as much fat as you can. When the fat has rendered out and the skin is brown and crispy, remove to a plate and reserve until the broth is ready. Strain and reserve the fat too.

When the broth is ready, finish cooking the duck breasts: Heat a tablespoon or two of the reserved duck fat in a frying pan skin over a medium high heat. Add the duck breast, skin side down and cook for a couple of minutes and then turn it over on to the other side. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the breast feel a little firm. Remove the duck from the pan and let rest on a plate skin side up.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. The fresh ramen will take about 4 minutes, other wheat noodles may take longer. Add the bok choy for the last 2 minutes to wilt. Strain.

Meanwhile reheat the broth, adding the shiitake mushrooms.

Place the noodles in mounds in the heated soup bowls. Add enough broth to almost come up to the top of the noodles. Add the bok choy. Slice the duck breast and place slices on top. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and bean sprouts.

Pass the sliced chili peppers and garlic chili sauce separately.

*The duck legs can be browned and cooked along with the carcass. When the stock is strained save the legs, remove the skin and discard. Shred the meat and add it in to the soup.

Almond-Poppyseed Cupcakes with Berries and Mascarpone

For the Cupcakes:

3/4 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

5 large eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 oz almond paste at room temperature

1 cup sugar

8 oz room temperature butter, cut into small chunks

For the Filling:

2 pints blueberries

sugar to taste plus some to coat the berries

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup mascarpone

1 1/2 cups cream

1 pint redcurrants

1 egg white

Position rack in lower third of the oven. Preheat to 350°F. Line two muffin trays with paper cups.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together on to a sheet of waxed paper. In a small bowl combine the eggs and vanilla. In the mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the almond paste on low speed until it breaks up. Slowly add the sugar, beating until it is incorporated. Add the butter a little at a time to the mixing bowl. Turn up the speed to medium and continue beating until the butter is light and fluffy.

With the mixer still on medium, pour in the eggs in a very slow and steady stream. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and then continue to beat for another 30 seconds. Add the lemon zest and the poppy seeds. Then stir in the flour using a wooden spoon. Do not over mix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the center springs back when touched lightly and it is a nice deep golden brown.

Meanwhile, place all but 1 cup of the blueberries in a small pan with some sugar and lemon zest until the berries pop and are soft. Allow to cool. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Whisk the mascarpone until smooth, slowly add in the cream. Then whisk until thick but not grainy looking. If you over-whip it you can always add a little more cream. Put in a piping bag, fitted with a large piping a large rose tip.

Whip the egg white until it is liquid. With a clean pastry brush, brush the remaining bblueerries and the redcurrants with the egg white and then roll in some sugar. Allow to dry on a cooling rack for a half hour or until dry.

Cut a circle out of the top of each cupcake. Fill with the cooked blueberries. Pipe a big swirl of the mascarpone cream on top.

Decorate with the sugared berries and redcurrants, borage flowers and mint leaves (if you have them).

Savory Panna Cotta

1 leaf of gelatin

4oz confit of cherry tomatoes

5oz milk

5oz cream

2oz Parmesan, grated

¼ cup toasted salted hazelnuts, chopped

Arugula or other baby greens

To serve: Grissini

In a small bowl, soak the gelatin leaf in cold water.

Divide the confit tomatoes between 4 small glasses.

Bring the milk and cream to a boil. Add the Parmesan. Simmer gently for about 2-3 minutes, stirring to melt the Parmesan. Remove from the heat and add the drained gelatin. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the glasses.

Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Top with a spoonful of the toasted hazelnuts and garnish with arugula or baby greens. Serve with grissini.

Pear and Huckleberry Financiers

1oz butter for brushing tins

10 egg whites

300g melted and browned butter

175g almond meal

370g powdered sugar plus more for decorating

100g flour, sifted

60 gr fresh huckleberries or dried blueberries, plumped in hot water

1 pear

juice of half a lemon

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter 2 financier tins or 6 x 3½ “ fluted tart tins.

In a stand mixer or with a whisk beat the egg whites for about 2 minutes or until they are liquid.

Add the browned butter, almond meal, sugar and flour. Mix it well. Gently fold in the huckleberries or drained blueberries. Fill the molds about 2/3 full with the mixture.

Peel the pear and cut it into quarters. Remove the core and the stem. Slice each quarter across the width and brush with a little lemon juice. Arrange the slices of pears onto of each financier. The pear slice may need to be trimmed to fit.

Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, just until they are golden brown and the a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with some more fruit and whipped cream.

Make 18 financiers or 6 tart tins.