For the last month I’ve been exclusively posting about my work elsewhere, but I’d really like to get back to creating some recipes specifically for this blog. The thing is, I like the idea but the to execute it feels like a challenge for the simple reason that I don’t get paid when I write for myself. That excuse has been losing its power as I’ve been thinking about my next steps, and the case for dedicating real time and energy into this space has fully established.

I have a lot I want to work on: understanding the technical ins and outs of my camera, improving my food styling abilities, and defining my writing voice. Especially that last one. I feel clueless when I sit down to write and spend way too many of my working hours staring at the computer screen. I’m so jealous of/impressed by some of the food bloggers out there who can articulate their thoughts and feelings in a captivating or entertaining way; I’m looking at you Molly, Molly, and Kelsey,  among others. And then how do you segue so effortlessly into talking about a recipe? I can summarize 90% of the posts on this blog with “I made this food and it was so good” (or some other word for “good” I found in a thesaurus).

Today’s small step is to do a little more than link to one of my recent articles. This week on Tasting Notes I shared a recipe for pizza with braised short ribs with an orange gremolata, one perk of which was half the red wine braised short ribs remained to create another meal.

I’ve been wanting to try my hand at sweet potato gnocchi and had in mind a take that would have a prominent sweet potato flavor. Most of the recipes I’ve seen call for ricotta, I assume to keep the texture light, but 1) I wondered how much that would dilute the sweet potato and 2) I didn’t have any ricotta on hand. So, I made the gnocchi with nothing more than sweet potato, egg yolk, flour, and a pinch of salt. The results weren’t as delicate as potato gnocchi but not at all dense or chewy.

Most importantly, the earthy sweetness I was looking for was intact and an ideal pairing with savory short ribs and bright gremolata. I used orange instead of lemon zest for the gremolata, inspired by a short rib dish we had at a restaurant a while back. It’s a refreshing twist on a classic flavor combination and for that reason a happy surprise, not to mention the orange is a better companion with sweet potato. I’m not sure which one we loved more, the gnocchi or the pizza.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Braised Short Ribs + Orange Gremolata

for the short ribs:
1 1/2 lbs beef short ribs
2 medium onions, medium chop
2 star anise
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 c red wine
salt
cooking oil

for the gremolata:
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp salt
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp olive oil

for the sweet potato gnocchi:
1 1/2 c sweet potato puree (from 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, roasted, peeled, and mashed into a thin layer on a large plate to cool)
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
about 1 c + 2 tbsp flour (may need more or less), plus more for rolling
2 tbsp butter

1. Braise the short ribs: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a heavy, lidded pot (such as a Dutch oven) with oil and place over high heat. Generously salt both sides of the short ribs and, once the oil is hot, brown both sides and move to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, star anise, bay leaves, ginger, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the red wine and cook for two minutes, using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cover with the lid and move to the oven for two hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone.

2. Strain out the liquid from the short ribs into a small pot. Place the pot over high heat and reduce to the consistency of syrup. Once the short ribs are cool enough to handle, pull out the star anise, bay leaves, and bones. Use your fingers or two forks to shred the meat. Stir in the reduced cooking liquid.

3. Make the gremolata: Add the garlic, orange zest, salt, parsley, and olive oil to a small bowl and stir to combine.

4. Make the sweet potato gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir together the sweet potato and egg yolk in a large bowl. Stir in 1 c flour, then add 1 tbsp flour at a time until the dough is pillowy soft and loses enough of its tackiness so it can be gently kneaded for just a minute. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to roll out a handful of dough at a time to 1/2-inch thick cylinders. Use the side of a fork to to pinch off 1-inch pieces of gnocchi. One all the dough has been rolled and cut, add to the boiling water and stir occasionally until the gnocchi float to the surface. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet. Strain the gnocchi and add it to the melted butter, tossing to evenly coat.

5. Serve the gnocchi topped with braised short ribs (You will only need about half of the meat; reserve the rest for another use, such as short rib pizza) and sprinkled with the gremolata.