Gnocchi #1

Ingredients

1 pound gnocchi
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound ground sirloin
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup white wine
10 sage leaves, freshly torn and divided
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola

For the salad:
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 to 1/2 cup EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head escarole, cleaned thoroughly and chopped into bite-size pieces

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the gnocchi. Once boiling, add some salt and the gnocchi, and cook according to package directions.

While the water is coming up to a boil, place a medium-size skillet with EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the butter and EVOO to the skillet and heat up for 2 minutes, until just barely smoking. Add the sirloin and brown until nice and caramelized. While the meat is browning, use the back of a wooden spoon to break it up into bite-size pieces that measure up to the size of the gnocchi.

Once the meat has started to brown evenly, add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes, shaking the skillet every now and then for even cooking.

Pour the white wine into the meat mixture, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in half of the sage, toss to combine and season with a little bit of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Add in the chicken stock and bring up to a bubble. Simmer to reduce slightly, 3-4 minutes, then add the gorgonzola and toss until the cheese is nice and melted, and a sauce is formed. Add the drained gnocchi to the skillet and toss to coat.

In a large serving bowl, add mustard, lemon zest and juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle the EVOO in a slow and steady stream, whisking until combined, then add the escarole and toss till evenly coated.

To serve, ladle gnocchi into serving bowls and sprinkle with the rest of the remaining torn sage leaves. Serve the escarole salad alongside.