Cranberry Gnocchi with Cranberry Brown Butter will please all the vegetarians in your life and around the dinner table. Made with Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries, it’s the perfect entrée to serve not only this holiday season, but all year long.
Today is National Cranberry Day y’all!!!! I’m over here celebrating with a big plate of these Cranberry Gnocchi with Cranberry Brown Butter.
Gnocchi is an Italian potato-based soft dough dumpling which is a delicious alternative to traditional pasta. To make a lighter gnocchi, use a floury potato, as they are high in starch and low in moisture. The good old Russet potato is ideal for this recipe. Also, it’s better to bake the potatoes instead of boiling them. Baking makes the insides of the potato dry and fluffy, which is perfect for making a light, pillowy dough. Gnocchi is heaven when it’s light and airy but not so much when it’s gummy and dense.
In my last post, I mentioned entering the Cape Cod Select Blogger Recipe Challenge and today’s recipe is my submission in their entrée category. When I first heard of the contest, I immediately started brainstorming vegetarian main dishes that were holiday related. Thanksgiving and Christmas grub always center around a huge turkey or beef roast, so I wanted to develop a hearty, savory vegetarian holiday entrée recipe that also would showcase the natural tartness and bright flavor of the cranberries.
I live up in New England so I’m lucky Cape Cod cranberries are readily available in my local stores. I’ve always bought these cranberries over the other well know frozen brand because they are truly premium berries. So plump and round straight out of the package and they never have that shriveled frozen look. They’ve also worked well for me in every recipe I’ve used them in. Find Cape Cod Select Premium Frozen Cranberries at your favorite stores here and on social media through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
I’m taking a few days off to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with my family, friends, and doggies, and to make/eat some great food (including these Cranberry Gnocchi with Cranberry Brown Butter) BUT I’ll be back next week with another great recipe.
Until then, J & I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving and, for those readers in other countries who do not celebrate the holiday, we hope you have a fantastic Thursday! Everyone eat, drink and be merry (although not necessarily in that order) 
- FOR THE GNOCCHI:
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes, washed and dried
- 1½ to 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 whole egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Herb Cranberry Sauce, divided
- 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- FOR THE HERB CRANBERRY SAUCE:
- 16 ounces Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup demerara sugar
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
- ½ teaspoon each salt and fresh ground black pepper
- zest from 1 fresh whole organic lemon
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Lightly pierce each potato all over the skin with a fork or knife. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until fork tender. Cool the cooked potatoes to the touch, then peel each potato and press through a ricer or grate them using the large holes on a cheese grater. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg, Parmesan cheese, and salt together. Mix in the potatoes and gradually add the flour, ¼ cup at a time, to the potato mixture. Using your hands, continue to gently mix in (do not knead) the flour until a soft dough forms. Add the ¼ cup of Herb Cranberry Sauce and gently mix in. Remove dough to a floured surface and mix in enough flour until dough is smooth and not sticky. Be careful not to mix in too much flour or dough will become tough. Dough should be soft to the touch and smooth, just pass the point of not sticking to hands.
- Break off a handful of dough, place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll it with both hands into a long rope shape (about 1 inch in diameter). Using a sharp knife, cut the rope every 1 inch to make square "pillows" of dough. Place the pieces to the side on a lightly floured surface while finishing making the remainder of the gnocchi pieces. Can leave the pieces the way they are cut or press your thumb into each to make an indentation.
- When ready to cook, fill a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Divide the shaped gnocchi into 4 piles and drop one pile into the water and cook until all the gnocchi float to the surface, 3-4 minutes. Remove the cooked gnocchi to a platter and continue cooking the remaining gnocchi in the same manner. Once finished, dump all the water out of the cooking pot and put all the cooked gnocchi back in. Set aside.
- In a heavy bottomed medium sized pan, start the brown butter by melting the 6 tablespoon of butter over medium heat and stirring it constantly as it melts. Butter will begin to release moisture and start foaming, so keep stirring until the foam subsides and butter become a light brown with darker brown flecks throughout. Remove from heat immediately, allow to cool for about 1 minute, then gently stir in the 2 tablespoons of herb cranberry sauce. Add the cranberry browned butter to the gnocchi in the pot and mix well, until all pieces are thoroughly coated. Serve immediately!
- TO MAKE HERB CRANBERRY SAUCE:
- In a large saucepan over high heat, add all ingredients, stir well and bring to a boil, Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or cranberries have broken down and sauce has thickened. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool until ready to use.
- **Leftover sauce will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen up to one month.
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