1 pound Idaho potatoes
Salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered if large
4 ounces pitted black or calamata olives
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, more for serving
2 large egg yolks, beaten
2 1/2 tablespoons black olive paste
20 fresh basil leaves, slivered (more)
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with salted water and boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet, add garlic, cook over medium heat until barely starting to color; stir in tomatoes. Coarsely chop olives and add half to the skillet. Cook briefly, until tomatoes collapse. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
2. When potatoes are tender, peel and rice them into a large bowl. Mix all but 3 tablespoons flour with 1 1/4 cups cheese, toss with potatoes and pile in a mound on work surface. Make a well in center. Mix egg yolks and olive paste, and place in well. Chop remaining olives finely and add to well. Knead to blend ingredients and form a soft dough. Shape into a ball and divide in 8 portions. Roll each into a rope about 10 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch dumplings (gnocchi). Dust with remaining flour and lightly pile in a bowl.
3. Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to a fast simmer, add gnocchi and as they rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove to a colander. Drain.
4. Reheat sauce in skillet, fold in basil and add gnocchi. Heat, mixing gently. Check seasoning and serve, with extra cheese alongside.
Yield: 4 servings.
Time: 1 hour, plus 1 hour for soaking rice
1 1/2 cups long-grain jasmine rice
1.5 pounds rib-eye steak, cut in 1-inch cubes (I used stew beef)
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, peeled and diced
2 large beets (about 1 pound), peeled, 1 cut into 1/2-inch dice and 1 grated
beet greens from beets, leaves left whole and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound Swiss chard, leaves left whole and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
6 teaspoons sugar, or as needed
6 tablespoons fresh spearmint leaves
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
Juice of 3 lemons (about 1/2 cup), or as needed.
1. Place rice in a mixing bowl and cover with water. Stir, drain off cloudy water, and repeat until water runs clear. Cover rice with fresh water and let soak for about 1 hour.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Place Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil is shimmering, add beef and sauté until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside. Return pan to low heat and add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add onions and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add diced beets and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add two-thirds of the Swiss chard/beet green stems and continue cooking until onions are golden, about 5 more minutes. Stir in beef, cover, and simmer over low heat.
3. Drain rice and return to a bowl. Sprinkle with salt to taste, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 4 tablespoons fresh mint. Stir to blend, and add garlic, grated beet, remaining oil and juice of 1 lemon. Spread one-third of Swiss chard/beet green leaves in Dutch oven, on top of beef mixture. Spoon half of rice mixture on top, and cover with another third of chard/beet green leaves. Spread with remaining rice, and top with remaining Swiss chard/beet green leaves and stems.
4. In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups water with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and juice of another lemon. Taste and, if necessary, add more sugar or lemon juice so mixture is both sweet and sour. Pour over Swiss chard/beet greens and bring to a boil. Cook partially covered until greens begins to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water if pan is very wide and there is little liquid on bottom. Poke handle of a wooden spoon into mixture in three places, making holes to let steam rise through chard. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and cook until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and remaining fresh mint.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and cut up a bunch of kale. Reserve tough stems for another use. Place on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil Pam. Top with seasonings you like — salt or whatever.
