Food Cult

For Gnocchi:
3 russet potatoes
1 egg
1/3 – ½ cup all purpose flour
extra ½ cup flour for dusting the table

Peel and quarter the potatoes
Boil in water for 20 minutes or until tender
Pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill, and let cool completely
Make a well with the potatoes
Beat the egg and place in the center of the well
Gently mix the egg and potato together
Add the flour just until the dough comes together (do not overknead!)

To form gnocchi:
Roll small balls with the dough
Dust the table and balls with the extra ½ flour as needed
Invert a fork so the tines are on the table
Gently press the ball into the fork, then roll the ball off

To cook:
Boil gnocchi for 1 ½ – 2 minutes in salted water

For Brown Butter Sauce:
10 tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ cups fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned
1 ½ cups fresh peas
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Crème fraiche (optional)

Blanch the peas in boiling salted water for one minute, then strain
Cut the mushroom in half and sautee in the butter, with the peas, for 3-5 minutes or until the butter turns lightly brown

To Assemble:

Toss brown butter with the freshly cooked gnocchi and season with salt and pepper as necessary.
Top with a spoonful of crème fraiche if desired

For Filling:
4 cups of apple, peeled and cut into 1- inch pieces (approx 3-4 apples)
1 ½ cups rhubarb
3 tbsp flour
½ cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

Cut the rhubarb into 1-cm thick slices
Toss all the ingredients together

For Crumble Topping:
6 tbsp butter (very cold)
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt

Break up the flour and butter using your finger tips until the butter is in pea size pieces
Add the remaining ingredients and mix until the crumble takes on the texture of wet sand (add 1 tbsp of water if the dough is a little dry)

To Assemble:
Place the apple mixture in a 9- inch round oven safe baking dish.
Gently top the apples with the crumble mixture (do not pack the crumble too hard)

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes

TIPS:

1. Crumble is not pie dough. It should not be an even dough. Parts will look like wet sand and others will look more like dry sand.

2. Firm apples, such as granny smith, work best with this dish

3. More or less sugar can be added to the filling depending on if a sweeter or more tart product is desired

4. If the top of the crumble is browning too fast, cover with tinfoil

For Soup:
6 large tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, mixed variety
Salt and pepper

Roughly chop the large tomatoes and sprinkle with salt
Place the chopped tomatoes in a cheese cloth or fabric bag and suspend over a bowl for several hours, or in the fridge overnight
Cut a small “x” at the base of each cherry tomato
Blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds, then remove the skin
Add the peeled cherry tomatoes to the soup

To Garnish:
Edible flowers (chive blossoms) or micro greens
Olive oil

Drizzle the soup with the olive oil and sprinkle with the flowers

Tips:
If you can’t find cheese cloth, a clean pillowcase will do the job.

For Soup Stock:
5 celery sticks
5 medium carrots
1 onion
2-3 tbsp olive oil
10 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brown the vegetables in the oil until they are caramelized and look “roasted” (approx 10-15 minutes)
Add the water and bring to a boil
Season with salt and pepper
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes

For Asparagus Soup:
1 batch soup stock
3 bunches asparagus
½ cup parsley
½ cup heavy cream (optional)
1 bunch wild leeks (optional)
Truffle oil, to taste

Remove the ends of the asparagus (approx 2 inches from the bottom)
Roughly chop the asparagus and gently boil in the soup stock for 8-10 minutes
**If using the wild leek, add at the same time as the asparagus.
Add the parsley 1-2 minutes before cooking is complete
Puree the soup until smooth
**Add the heavy cream if desired

To Serve:

Drizzle a little truffle oil on the soup

TIPS:
1. The greater the variety of vegetables added to the stock, the more complex the flavour will be. This is helpful for robust soups and stews. A ½ cup of soy sauce is also a good addition.

2. If using white asparagus for the bisque, do not brown the vegetables. Lightly sautee the vegetables then add the water.