I needed an easy vegetable side to go with dinner. The Kidlet didn't really care for it, especially the lemon. But I quited liked it. My main problem with it was that it didn't make very much. If I were to make it again, I think I'd make a double batch.

Roasted Broccolini with Lemon and Garlic

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches broccolini, coarsely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into 5mm dice (peel in tact)
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in an ove.
3. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (~1 minute).
4. Add the broccolini, lemon, and salt, and cook until colour deepens slightly (1 minute longer).
5. Transfer to the oven and roast at 180°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes.

This Hello Fresh recipe box was a Christmas special, and well worth it, I think. Every part of it was delicious; even the broccolini, which I don't normally go for (too bitter), had a nice sweetness to it. (Based on the packaging, it's a different cultivar.)

It has a lot of moving parts, but no one part is particularly difficult, it's just tricky to get them to all finish at the same time (I didn't manage it).

Crispy Cherry Duck with Broccolini & Chive Potatoes

Hello Fresh

Ingredients

• 4 skin-on duck breasts
• 1 kg russet potatoes, cubed
  
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  
• 120mL cherry jam
• 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
  
• 700g sweet broccolini, trimmed and halved
  
• 60mL milk
• 60mL (4 tbsp) butter
  

Directions

1. Score the skin side of the duck in a grid pattern. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place duck, skin side down, in a large, cold, non-stick pan. Heat over medium heat and and sear until crispy, 10-12 minutes.
3. Flip duck and sear other side for 2-3 minutes.
4. When duck is finished searing, transfer to baking sheet, reserving pan and fat. Roast at 425°F, skin side up, until cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
   
5. While duck is searing, add potatoes, 10mL salt, and enough water to cover to a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, until fork-tender, 10-12 minutes
6. Drain potatoes and mash in butter, milk, chives, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
   
7. Return 15mL reserved duck fat to pan. Add 2 tbsp water and half the broccolini, cover, and steam over medium heat until fork-tender, 6-8 minutes.
8. Repeat step 6 with the rest of the broccolini. (If you have a very large pan you may be able to do the whole thing at once, but ours is quite large and it's still not large enough for that.)
9. Add 30mL of duck fat (supplementing with butter if your duck was not fatty enough) to the pan.
10. Once melted, add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1-2 minutes.
11. Whisk in the jam and 160mL (⅔C) water. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, 3-5 minutes.
12. Once duck is cooked, slice thinly, drizzle with cherry sauce, and serve with potatoes and broccolini.
    

Did you know that gnocchi is actually pretty easy to make? And incredibly delicious? And actually reasonably nutritious? Especially when you make it with bright, flavourful, colourful sweet potatoes! I need to write this recipe down because we will be making it again.

Honestly, I'm craving it again already...

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Greens and Sage Butter Sauce

Slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

Gnocchi

• 450-500g sweet potatoes
• 1 c. whole milk ricotta
• 1/4 c. Parmesan
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• ~1 c. all-purpose or hard/strong/bread/high grade flour

Greens and Sauce

• 1 small broccoli crown, cut into florettes
• 1 small bunch black kale, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried sage (or ~6 fresh leaves)
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1/4 c. Parmesan
• pepper, to taste
• lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Directions

Gnocchi

1. Prick sweet potato(es) with fork, wrap in damp paper towels, and microwave until tender. (~5-7 minutes)
2. Scoop flesh from skin. Discard skins.
3. Mash flesh with ricotta, Parmesan, and sea salt.
4. If the mixture seems dry, add a couple Tbsp. of water to loosen it up.
5. Mix in flour ~1/4 c. at a time until a soft dough forms.
6. If you like your gnocchi soft and light and pillowy, try not to work the dough too much and handle the resulting dumplings very gently as they'll be prone to breaking up. If you like your gnocchi firm and chewy, knead the dough to develop the gluten a little.
7. Working on a floured surface, form the dough into a loaf.
8. Cut a slice from the loaf and roll it into a rope.
9. Cut the rope into ~2cm pieces.
10. Repeat with remaining dough.
11. Boil the gnocchi until it floats and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Reserve the cooking water.

Greens and Sauce

1. Once the gnocchi has been boiled, add the broccoli and kale to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large pan.
3. Add the gnocchi and cook until outside is brown and crisp.
4. Add garlic, broccoli, kale, sage, and salt and cook for another few minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
6. Stir in cream and Parmesan.
7. Add pepper to taste.
8. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Spaghetti with Broccolini and Capers

Have I mentioned how much I love the "30 minute supper" recipe cards that come with the Cook's Country magazines? They are amazing! Like, seriously, they have become my go-to for weeknight suppers. TF takes the toddle-bot out for a walk and while they're at the park, I get going on dinner. I usually don't actually manage to finish everything in 30 minutes, but it still makes for a quick, easy, and usually quite delicious dinner. So, here's yet another selection from our ever-growing recipe card collection!

Spaghetti with Broccolini and Capers
Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015
375g spaghetti (or other long, noodle-y pasta)
1 Tbsp. + 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
400g broccolini, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 cloves elephant garlic (or 4 cloves regular garlic), sliced thin
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. dry white wine (I used 20 Bees)
1 c. grated Pecorino Romano (~2 oz.)
1/2 c. capers, drained and minced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1. Bring 4L water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and 1 Tbsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. (This took about 7 minutes for my spaghetti.) Drain, reserving ~1/2 c. of the cooking water.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add broccolini, garlic, pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook until broccolini is just tender (4-5 minutes). Remove to plate.
3. Return empty pan to heat and add broth and wine. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 3/4 its original volume.
4. Toss pasta with liquid from pan. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as desired.
5. Add cheese, capers, and lemon juice to pasta. Toss with broccolini mixture.
6. Serve with additional cheese grated on top.