New Zealand mushroom recipes
Creamy Herb Oyster Mushrooms with Pumpkin Gnocchi
Sweet roast pumpkin, browned oyster mushrooms and a handful of fresh herbs come together in a creamy autumn meal.
Best seasonAutumn, when crown pumpkin is plentiful.
MushroomsUse fresh, confidently identified edible oyster mushrooms.
TextureSimmer the gnocchi gently, then brown it briefly in the pan.
Ingredients
The original method leaves several amounts to taste. Start modestly with flour and cream; add only what the dough or sauce needs.
Pumpkin gnocchi
- ½ small crown pumpkin
- Olive oil, salt and pepper for roasting
- 1 boiled potato
- 50 g grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- Flour: start with 2 heaped tablespoons, then add more as needed for rolling
Creamy herb mushrooms
- Fresh oyster mushrooms
- 1 small onion
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- A generous handful of rosemary, thyme and chives
- Olive oil and a small piece of butter
- Cream, enough to coat the mushrooms
- Salt and pepper
Make the pumpkin gnocchi
- Cut the pumpkin into pieces. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast until tender. Scoop the flesh from its skin.
- Process the pumpkin flesh with the boiled potato, Parmesan, egg and two heaped tablespoons of flour. Season. The mixture will begin as a sticky dough.
- Turn the dough onto a floured board and work in a little more flour until it can be rolled. Roll it into long ropes, cut into small pieces and press each piece lightly with a fork.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then reduce it to a gentle simmer. Add the gnocchi in batches. Lift each batch out with a slotted spoon once the pieces float; vigorous boiling may make them break apart.
- Briefly sauté the drained gnocchi in the pan you will use for the mushrooms, until lightly crisp. Set aside.
Cook the oyster mushrooms
- Tear or cut the mushrooms into pieces and slice the onion. Sauté both in olive oil until the mushrooms have taken on a golden brown colour.
- Add a small piece of butter near the end of browning. Reserve a few attractive mushroom pieces for the plate.
- Pour in enough cream to coat the remaining mushrooms. Simmer until it reduces to a light sauce. Add the herbs, salt and pepper to taste, then fold in the halved cherry tomatoes.
Finish the dish
Gently fold the gnocchi through the sauce. Divide between plates and finish with the reserved mushrooms, a few crisp gnocchi pieces and fresh herbs.
Using a wild mushroom? Confirm its identity independently before cooking. This recipe assumes an edible oyster mushroom and does not serve as an identification guide.
The ingredients and process
