- 100g whole chestnuts, cooked and peeled
- 1 butternut squash
- 200g chestnut mushrooms
- A handful of rosemary, leaves only
- 400g gnocchi
- 227ml double cream
- 2 handfuls of peppery salad mix
- 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1.
Roughly chop the chestnuts. Put a large, deep frying pan or wok on a medium heat for 2 mins, then add the chestnuts. Toast them for 2-3 mins, shaking the pan every so often, till the chestnuts are browned and smell nutty. Tip out into a bowl and set aside.
- 2.
Halve the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds. Peel and chop it into chunks around 1cm across. Put the frying pan back on a medium heat and add ½ tbsp oil with the squash. Pop a lid on the pan (or use a baking tray if you don’t have a lid) and cook the squash for 8-10 mins, stirring every so often, till the squash has softened and has started to brown and caramelise.
- 3.
While the squash cooks, put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Thickly slice the mushrooms. Finely chop the rosemary leaves.
- 4.
Add the mushrooms to the squash with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring every so often and without the lid, for 5 mins till the mushrooms start to look juicy.
- 5.
The water in the pan should be boiling by now, so add the gnocchi to the pan and simmer for 3-4 mins till the gnocchi start to rise to the surface. Drain them well.
- 6.
Tip the drained gnocchi into the mushrooms and squash pan. Add the rosemary and chestnuts. Pour in the cream. Gently cook for 2-3 mins, stirring often, till the cream is warmed through and thickened slightly. Taste the sauce and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
- 7.
Toss the salad leaves with 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Spoon the gnocchi onto warm plates and serve with the salad on the side.
- Tip
Chestnuts about dinner
You just need 100g of the chestnuts for this dish, but you can chop and add them all if you prefer (this will affect the nutritional information). You can also use the leftover chestnuts up in a velvety-smooth chestnut and cauliflower soup. Sweat an onion till it's soft, then add a few big handfuls of cauliflower, enough vegetable stock to cover them, and a big splash of milk. Simmer till the cauliflower is soft, then add the chestnuts and a big splash of cream and blend till smooth. Serve in warm bowls with some flash fried sage leaves on top.