Sage and Brown Butter Sauce ...
Well, I finally bought a bunch of fresh sage and gave the titled sauce a try.
I researched several recipes and came up with a dish that I thought would showcase it, thawed leftover wontons and microwaved the sweet potato for the filling. And then I happened to be in the Italian grocery store to pick up a bag of all purpose flour and was tempted by a package of fresh gnocchi. I ended up with a couple of dishes which I loved. I'd make either one again.
I rewrote the recipe below to reflect the fact that I FORGOT to put the pine nuts in the filling.
Sweet Potato Ravioli with Lemon, Pine Nut, Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Sweet Potato Ravioli with Lemon, Pine Nut, Sage Brown Butter Sauce - makes 18 ravioli, 3 each as an appetizer, 6 as a main
For the Ravioli
1 (1-pound) sweet potato (baked squash or pumpkin may also be used)
2 tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
18 wonton wrappers
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
6 quarts water to cook the ravioli, 1 tbsp salt
Cooking spray
For the Lemon, Pine Nut, Sage Brown Butter Sauce
1/4 cup butter
8-12 leaves fresh sage, depending on size and preference
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp pine nuts
Grated parmesan, about a tablespoon per serving
Optional garnish - large fresh or fried sage leaves
Preparing the filling:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pierce the potato several times with a fork; place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel potato; mash.
For a faster alternative, put the pierced sweet potato in the microwave. Cook on high for 3 1/2 min. Turn over and repeat. Cut potato in half and scoop out the cooked flesh with a tablespoon. No peeling necessary. Mash with a fork.
Combine cooked sweet potato, cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
Making the ravioli:
Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon 1/2 tablespoon potato mixture into the center of each wrapper.
Brush the edges of the wontons with beaten egg white; bring the 2 opposite corners to the center.
Press edges together to seal, forming a triangle and pressing out as much air as possible as you do. Repeat procedure with the remaining wonton wrappers, potato filling, and egg white.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add about a heaping teaspoon or two of salt to the water. Add 9 ravioli; cook 2 minutes or until done. Remove the ravioli from pot with a slotted spoon. Lightly coat cooked wontons with cooking spray; keep warm. Repeat the procedure with remaining ravioli.
Making the sauce:
Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the lightest part of the butter seems to be turned a golden brown, add the sage leaves and pine nuts to the pan. Cook for a minute or two, or until butter is lightly browned.
Take off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and pepper.
Drizzle the sauce over the ravioli. You may also add your warmed ravioli to the sauce, stir gently to coat and serve in a more rustic fashion out of the saute pan.
Sprinkle grated Parmesan over each plate just before serving.
Garnish with fresh or fried sage leaves, if desired.
Gnocchi with Mushroom, Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Gnocchi in Mushroom Sage Brown Butter Sauce - serves 2 to 4 depending on appetite
1 pound of cooked frozen (use package directions) or fresh gnocchi
1/4 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, finely minced
8-12 leaves fresh sage, depending on size and preference
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 cups of sliced white mushrooms
Grated parmesan, about a tablespoon per serving
Optional garnish - large fried sage leaves
Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and the lightest part of the butter seems to be turned a golden brown.
Add the sage leaves to the pan. Cook for a minute or two. Take off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and pepper.
Add drained cooked gnocchi to the sauce, stir gently to coat and serve.
Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over each plate just before serving.
Optional crunchy sage leaf garnish:
Wash and pat dry large, fresh, sage leaves. Deep fry in an inch or so of hot vegetable oil or in a small frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of hot melted butter, turning over carefully to fry both sides. Remove to a plate covered with a couple of thicknesses of paper towel and allow to dry and crisp up.
I researched several recipes and came up with a dish that I thought would showcase it, thawed leftover wontons and microwaved the sweet potato for the filling. And then I happened to be in the Italian grocery store to pick up a bag of all purpose flour and was tempted by a package of fresh gnocchi. I ended up with a couple of dishes which I loved. I'd make either one again.
I rewrote the recipe below to reflect the fact that I FORGOT to put the pine nuts in the filling.
Sweet Potato Ravioli with Lemon, Pine Nut, Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Sweet Potato Ravioli with Lemon, Pine Nut, Sage Brown Butter Sauce - makes 18 ravioli, 3 each as an appetizer, 6 as a main
For the Ravioli
1 (1-pound) sweet potato (baked squash or pumpkin may also be used)
2 tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
18 wonton wrappers
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
6 quarts water to cook the ravioli, 1 tbsp salt
Cooking spray
For the Lemon, Pine Nut, Sage Brown Butter Sauce
1/4 cup butter
8-12 leaves fresh sage, depending on size and preference
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp pine nuts
Grated parmesan, about a tablespoon per serving
Optional garnish - large fresh or fried sage leaves
Preparing the filling:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pierce the potato several times with a fork; place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel potato; mash.
For a faster alternative, put the pierced sweet potato in the microwave. Cook on high for 3 1/2 min. Turn over and repeat. Cut potato in half and scoop out the cooked flesh with a tablespoon. No peeling necessary. Mash with a fork.
Combine cooked sweet potato, cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
Making the ravioli:
Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying), spoon 1/2 tablespoon potato mixture into the center of each wrapper.
Brush the edges of the wontons with beaten egg white; bring the 2 opposite corners to the center.
Press edges together to seal, forming a triangle and pressing out as much air as possible as you do. Repeat procedure with the remaining wonton wrappers, potato filling, and egg white.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add about a heaping teaspoon or two of salt to the water. Add 9 ravioli; cook 2 minutes or until done. Remove the ravioli from pot with a slotted spoon. Lightly coat cooked wontons with cooking spray; keep warm. Repeat the procedure with remaining ravioli.
Making the sauce:
Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the lightest part of the butter seems to be turned a golden brown, add the sage leaves and pine nuts to the pan. Cook for a minute or two, or until butter is lightly browned.
Take off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and pepper.
Drizzle the sauce over the ravioli. You may also add your warmed ravioli to the sauce, stir gently to coat and serve in a more rustic fashion out of the saute pan.
Sprinkle grated Parmesan over each plate just before serving.
Garnish with fresh or fried sage leaves, if desired.
Gnocchi with Mushroom, Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Gnocchi in Mushroom Sage Brown Butter Sauce - serves 2 to 4 depending on appetite
1 pound of cooked frozen (use package directions) or fresh gnocchi
1/4 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, finely minced
8-12 leaves fresh sage, depending on size and preference
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 cups of sliced white mushrooms
Grated parmesan, about a tablespoon per serving
Optional garnish - large fried sage leaves
Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and the lightest part of the butter seems to be turned a golden brown.
Add the sage leaves to the pan. Cook for a minute or two. Take off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and pepper.
Add drained cooked gnocchi to the sauce, stir gently to coat and serve.
Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over each plate just before serving.
Optional crunchy sage leaf garnish:
Wash and pat dry large, fresh, sage leaves. Deep fry in an inch or so of hot vegetable oil or in a small frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of hot melted butter, turning over carefully to fry both sides. Remove to a plate covered with a couple of thicknesses of paper towel and allow to dry and crisp up.