Once it starts raining I tend to have a liiilittle go crazy. Throughout the summer I spend a lot of time outside in the garden, then autumn arrives, the garden becomes yellowed and withered and I am forced by nature to spend more and more time indoors. But I’m a stubborn person and I’m not ready for full-time indoor nesting yet. We haven’t even had frost yet, for goodness sake! That’s why I really appreciate the mushroom. Hunting for them deeply satisfies both my “free-range cat” and treasure hunt tendencies. And in addition to taking a beautiful walk in the woods and enjoying the lush Northwest autumn, I get to cook and eat A LOT of mushrooms, which is how these mushroom gnocchi ended up on our table.
Jeremy and I spent an afternoon in our favorite forest near the farm, wandering around looking for mushrooms. My favorites are chanterelles, which are deeply golden and have a beautiful delicate flavor that’s almost sweet in a way. But there were no chanterelles to be found. Instead, we kept finding matsutake. They are fun mushrooms, growing under the carpet of decaying fir needles on the forest floor (known as duff) and sometimes you can see a sliver of white peeking out beneath the thick layer of duff. Then, as you get closer, you notice clumps all around the only visible mushroom, and when you clear away the trash you’re surrounded by a dozen matusake. It’s a really satisfying experience – it’s a bit like getting a great deal on something you’ve been looking for age.
All in all we ended up finding about 6 kilos of matsutake, and since they sell for about $40 a kilo at the market, we did pretty well for an afternoon of wandering! By the end of our foraging walk through the woods, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of chanterelles and spoke wistfully about it to Jeremy. And then, wouldn’t you know it, the forest was really sweet and I spotted one right off the trail a couple minutes later! It was a real treat, I loved my chanterelles and put it in these mushroom dumplings along with lots of matsutake.
You can use absolutely any edible variety of mushroom for these mushroom gnocchi, so don’t feel like you have to tramp through the woods to make them. (Safety note: I highly recommend not foraging for mushrooms unless you absolutely know how to identify a couple of edible varieties OR go with a local guide, as most wild mushrooms are toxic). This would be great with store bought button mushrooms or even shiitake mushrooms for an extra flavorful taste! All edible mushrooms will pair very well with the main ingredients of these gnocchi, such as white wine, garlic, shallots, thyme and pecorino romano. You really can’t go wrong 🙂 Have fun and happy autumn my friends!!
And a huge thank you to Adobe Lightroom for letting me go on a mushroom hunting expedition as part of my passion project series with them. All images have been edited in their lovely program!
Mushroom Gnocchi with Garlic and Thyme
These comforting mushroom gnocchi are packed with umami flavors like garlic, thyme, parmesan, and wild mushrooms, making them the perfect cozy fall meal.
-
1
table spoon
unsalted butter -
2
spoons
olive oil -
1
large shallot
chopped -
4
cloves
garlic
chopped -
8
ounces
mushrooms
sliced very thin -
3/4
teaspoon
Salt -
1/4
teaspoon
Pepper -
2
teaspoons
fresh thyme leaves -
1
table spoon
Flour -
¼
cup
dry white wine -
1/2
cup
vegetable broth -
1
table spoon
cream or coconut cream -
¼
cup
finely grated pecorino romano or parmesan -
1/2
cup
fresh basil leaves -
10
ounces
gnocchi
-
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent and lightly browned around the edges, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Add the garlic, thinly sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to combine. Cook until the mushrooms are more pliable and have released their moisture and are fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes more, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Start preparing the gnocchi following the directions on the package (use salted water to flavor the gnocchi). In the meantime you can finish the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and toss to coat, then add the wine and stir to combine, dissolving any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook for a further minute, then add the vegetable broth and cream and mix until a thick sauce forms. Add the grated pecorino romano and fresh basil leaves and remove from the heat. Season with the cooked and drained gnocchi and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Mushroom Gnocchi with Garlic and Thyme
Quantity per serving
Calories 540
Calories from fat 225
% daily value*
Fat 25 g38%
Saturated fat 8 g50%
Trans fat 0.2 g
Polyunsaturated fats 2g
Monounsaturated fats 13g
Cholesterol 28mg9%
Sodium 1749mg76%
Potassium 498 mg14%
Carbohydrates 64 g21%
5g fiber21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 15 g30%
Vitamin A 766 IU15%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Soccer 206mg21%
Iron 7 mg39%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Red Belted Conk mushroom is inedible, but cute. Just admire it visually without ever ingesting it 🙂
