meyer lemon and mushroom gnocchi

now that i am working in the evenings again, it is really hard to find the time and motivation to cook on those rare evenings off, but on saturday i finally, finally, was able to make a proper meal. and it was good.

meyer lemons are in season right now and after admiring their bright yellow-orange hue for the past few  weeks in the store, i have been dreaming about what to make with them.

because it is winter, a hearty pasta seemed like a good idea and noodles are an obvious choice for showcasing an ingredient, but i wanted something a bit less conventional and decided that a fluffy gnocchi would be delicious with a light lemon sauce. meyer lemons are much less acidic and far sweeter than regular lemons, which is why they are perfect for desserts. since i was making a savory dish i needed something to complete the sauce and make it a bit heartier. i love mushrooms so i decided to add a mix of crimini, shitake, and oyster mushrooms for depth and texture. i splurged on a small bottle of black truffle oil and the result was truly lovely. the sauce could go with any noodle--i could easily have eaten this on angel hair with parmesan. the fontina cheese i used did not overpower the lemon in any way but instead provided an earthy flavor and the perfect amount of creaminess for the sauce. i used fat free half & half, but feel to use heavy cream --i don't like cream sauces that are too heavy, so this was just right for me. the amount i cooked could have easily served 4...there were just 2 of us so now i have leftovers. yum.

MEYER LEMON & WILD MUSHROOM GNOCCHI

2 cups potato gnocchi

4 meyer lemons

1/2 cup stock (vegetable or chicken)

1/4 half & half or heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fontina, pecorino, parmesan, or grana padano cheese

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped leeks

1 1/2 cup assorted shitake, crimini, and oyster mushrooms

salt & pepper to taste

truffle oil (black or white) to taste

in a small pot add the stock, cream, and juice of four meyer lemons

in a large pan, saute the sliced mushrooms with leeks and garlic

boil the gnocchi until it is fluffy and tender. when it is ready, drain it and add the gnocchi to the pan with the mushrooms. add the sauce and then add the cheese. stir until the sauce becomes creamy. add salt & pepper to taste and finish with truffle oil. serve immediately.

i also made an arugula pesto and served it with warm crusty bread. at first the pesto was way too bitter so i added more basil. there was still something harsh about it so i squeezed the juice from an extra meyer lemon i had. the sweetness cut the bitterness of the arugula and the result of the fresh herbs and lemon both looked and tasted like the essence of spring. for a few minutes i forgot it was the middle of january; i could practically feel warm rays of sun of my face as i bit into this shimmering spread..then i woke up from my reverie and realized that was just the space heater i was feeling..boo.

ARUGULA & MEYER LEMON PESTO

1 cup washed arugula

1 cup washed fresh basil

1 meyer lemon

2 tsps olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

mix all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.