Story and Photos by Alex Stoltze
I come from a family of cooks. My grandma’s version of a simple dinner includes wine and butter steamed clams over garlic pasta with a side of carefully constructed salad and later finished with creme brule. My mom, and almost all of her five sisters, enjoy cooking just as much. I grew up around food that caused every room in the house to smell of the night’s meal. Now that I am living by myself, the tradition of thoughtful food has welcomed itself into my home, as has the need to be cost conscious when purchasing food.
To cut down on food bills, I have severely reduced my meat consumption, which allows me to purchase fresher and more sustainable vegetables. I also visit the Saturday Market whenever possible to find out what’s in season and learn about new foods. Saturday Market is surprisingly wallet-friendly and a great place to support local business.
With budget in mind, I have created a super simple dinner that is both healthy and hearty. It is centered around potato gnocchi, with is a soft potato dumpling that is purchased dry and only needs to be boiled for a few minutes before it’s ready to eat. I like to make this dish with a seasonal cooked veggie, currently Swiss chard.
Gnocchi with Swiss Chard
Yield: 1 serving
Gnocchi Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 med. zucchini (1 heaping cup)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 med tomato (1 cup)
1 tsp. dried or fresh rosemerry
1.5 cups pre-packaged gnocchi
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Swiss Chard Ingredients:
2 cups swiss chard w/ stems removed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup water
splash of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Gnocchi:
Begin boiling the water for the gnocchi in a medium pot and add the gnocchi when the water has reached a boil. Cook the gnocchi for about 4-5 minutes until tender and then strain. While the water is coming to a boil for the gnocchi, chop the zucchini and tomato into small half inch by half inch squares. Heat the oil in a medium fry pan and add the vegetables. After the veggies have become tender, about 4-5 minutes, add the butter and brown sugar and salt and pepper. Wait for the butter to melt and then stir in the strained gnocchi and mix together. Serve and enjoy!
 
Swiss chard:
Add the water and olive oil to a medium pan and add the whole leaves. Stir in salt and pepper to taste then cover the the pan with a lid to wilt the chard, about 4-5 minutes. When the chard is wilted, remove and add a splash of balsamic vinegar to taste. This will create a wonderful acidity. The vinegar isn’t necessary and can be ignored or substituted with more salt.

 

Gallery • 2 Photos

Clever Cooking: Gnocchi