Jamie Oliver's Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. The round up is hosted this week by Anh from Food Lover's Journey - be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

Last night for dinner we wanted something that would go with our breadsticks (which are equally as impressive on the second day!).

I was also craving the wonderful taste of blue cheese.

I know. I am insane.

We ended up making gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce. Let me be VERY clear that there is NOTHING low-fat about this dish. This is a recipe from our well-used cookbook by Jamie Oliver 'Cook With Jamie'. He provides the directions for making your own gnocchi - we were lazy and bought ours.

This is a quick recipe to pull together and packs a wonderful flavour.

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons gorgonzola cheese (dolce if you can find it)
3 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons heavy cream
a small bunch of fresh marjoram, leaves picked
Parmesan cheese for grating
freshly ground pepper

Heat a saute pan on low heat. Add 2 T. gorgonzola dolce, 3 T. butter and 6 T. heavy cream with a pinch of black pepper. Mix together using the back of a wooden spoon until you have a smooth melted cheese sauce.

Cook your gnocchi and toss them in the gorgonzola sauce.

Serve with plenty of parmesan and a sprinkle of marjoram leaves.

This was the first time that I have used fresh marjoram in a recipe. It provided a delicious contrast to the tangy and rich gorgonzola sauce.

Marjoram is often compared to – or confused with – oregano, but these two herbs are actually quite distinct. Although the plants look similar and do share a fresh, tangy flavour, marjoram is much milder and sweeter than oregano and tastes slightly earthy.

Marjoram is classified as a perennial and can be grown outdoors in a variety of climates, but should always be brought indoors when the temperature drops because the leafy plant often withers when exposed to frost. Fresh marjoram is at its best in the late summer but can also be found year-round since the spice takes well to being grown hydroponically.

Storing
Fresh marjoram stems can be stored in baggies in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for maximum flavour maintenance. Try freezing entire stems on cookie sheets, then stripping the leaves from the stems and storing them in the freezer in plastic containers. Finely chopped marjoram leaves can also be combined with olive oil or butter and refrigerated or frozen to use in recipes. Marjoram retains its flavour fairly well when dried, too, especially when stored in an airtight container. Fresh marjoram can easily be dried by spreading the leaves on screens and laying them in a cool, arid place or hanging small bundles of the leaves upside down. Buy small amounts of store bought dried and ground marjoram to use as needed, and keep for up to six months in airtight containers.

How to Use It
The flavour of marjoram lends itself well to a variety of foods, including lamb, beef, pork, chicken, fish, tomato dishes, stuffings, breads, salad dressings, and chowders. It’s widely used in Italian, French, North African, Middle Eastern, and American cuisines and is also prevalent in spice blends such as bouquet garni, fines herbes and sausage and pickle blends.

When cooking with marjoram, bear in mind that its oils are easily destroyed by heat and thus it should be added to dishes just before serving. The aromatic oils in marjoram can also be affected by too much sunlight, so if you choose to grow your own, cultivate the plant in a shady spot and always harvest in the morning before the sun’s heat can affect the fresh flavour of the herb.

Comments

[Eden]

I should have known better than check your blog, Jerry. I want to eat that gnocchi and some of those breadsticks! But I am fasting today in prep for my colon test tomorrow... Ok, that is TMI (too much info) but your blog is always loaded with delicious entries.

I should have known...

[barb cabot]

Jerry this is my husbands absolute favorite dish. Thank you. I'm going to make this soon. Can you tell me what gnocchi do you buy and where? Trader Joes?

[Jerry]

Eden - sorry about the drool factor! *smile* Good luck with your test today.

Barb - we do not have Trader Joe's here in Canada (sigh). I have to do field trips when I am in the US! Most of the grocery stores here carry ready made gnocchi in a vacuum package. I am sure that TJs would ahve it.

I've made it before. It isn't challenging - just more work than I wanted to do on Sunday with all of the gardening and stuff to do.

[Deb R]

Hi Jerry those gnocchi look fabulous. I can't wait to get back to Italy again 36 more days! I start to dream about it in color.

[Linda]

Hi Jerry

I love your site, great photos.

In case Barb reds this, yes TJs has pkg. gnocchi which is very good. Cost Plus Work Market also has it. They have tiny gnocchi which is nice to use sometimes.

Questions regarding the Grissini:

1. Is '00' flour the same as Wondra?

2.I'm having a party in a couple of weeks and was going to make 2-3 batches. You metioned these taste good the 2nd day; would you recommend I save time and bake these the day before or the day of the party?

3. I like my grissini slim, will there be more yield if they're thinner or were yours pretty thin?

Thanks!! Ciao

[Amy]

Oh, that looks wonderful.

I made homemade gnocchi exactly once. *grin* Now when I happily pay for them, I appreciate each and every one.

[Jerry]

Deb - I ahve reached the dreaming phase too. This will be followed by the panic stage!

Linda - 00 flour is a semolina flour like they use for pasta. I know that you can get it at Whole Foods. They get soft overnight. i think that if you made them ahead of time you'd want to heat them up a bit to retore the crisp crust. If you rolled them thin there would be quite a few more. These are almost like breadsticks - not the crunchy grissini that you can buy.

[Jerry]

That is my feeling exactly Amy. I did NOT enjoy making gnocchi at all and will gladly pay for those others have made. *smile*

[Kalyn]

Sounds delicious. I like the idea of gorgonzola paired with marjoram a lot. I have some marjoram in my herb garden but it's sadly under-used!

[Jerry]

Kalyn - I like this recipe so much that i have planted some marjoram myself.

[Joe]

Love the blog, always enjoy reading it. I really like these gnocchi. I just made a gnocchi with choux pastry for the first time and it was incredible. Come take a look if you have a chance and let me know what you think. http://cookingquest.wordpress.com

Thanks so much!

Joe

[Joe]

Love the blog, always enjoy reading it. I really like these gnocchi. I just made a gnocchi with choux pastry for the first time and it was incredible. Come take a look if you have a chance and let me know what you think. http://cookingquest.wordpress.com

Thanks so much!

Joe

[Jerry]

Thanks Joe! I shall pop over for a visit.