Last week's English Hot Pot left me with some leftovers. Like the loaf of pumpernickel bread and a big hunk of ham. I made some simple croutons with the bread so it wouldn't go to waste (chop bread into bite-size squares, toss with olive oil, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and bake in a 325ºF oven until crispy). Now, how to utilize pumpernickel croutons and ham? Somehow, this happened. I really can't even explain it. But it worked really well.
I made the gnocchi from scratch (really not that hard... I used this great recipe from Elise at Simply Recipes) but if you want to use pre-made this would make for a simple and quick weeknight dinner. Or you can make the gnocchi ahead of time and freeze it, because it is a simple potato gnocchi and will freeze well.
Gnocchi, Shrimp and Ham with Creamy Mustard Sauce
2 pounds baking potatoes (russet)
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 1/2 cup ham cubes
2 Tablespoons butter
2 large shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound cooked shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
arugula to serve
pumpernickel croutons to serve
Pearce the potatoes with a fork and bake in a 350ºF oven for about an hour until tender. Let cool. Cut in half and let cool more. Scoop out the potatoes from their skins, and run through a ricer or food mill. Add the egg yolks, flour and salt and mix with hands until a soft dough forms. On a floured surface, gently roll pieces of the dough with your fingertips to form 1/2-inch tubes. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces and flatten slightly with your thumb. Once all the gnocchi is formed, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in a small batch of gnocchi at a time, removing with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the top and set aside on a platter. Repeat until all gnocchi is cooked.
In a large skillet, cook the ham cubes in the olive oil until they are just browned. set aside. add the butter and cook the shallots and garlic until they are soft. Add the wine, scraping all the wonderful browned bits off the bottom of the ban. Bring to a boil and let simmer a minute or 2. Add the cream and mustard and stir. Let simmer lightly for 30 seconds or so, taste for seasoning, the add the ham cubes, shrimp and cooked gnocchi to the pan and toss gently to combine everything. cook until everything is heated through. Serve on a bed of arugula and top with pumpernickel croutons.
