Gnocchi with Shiitake Green Garlic Sauce

This sauce heralds spring time, the only time one can find green garlic. I found some in the farmer's market, but it grows easily in the garden. If you can't find green garlic, use a clove of regular garlic, along with some green onions.

Ingredients:

1 Tbs butter
1/4 C chopped sage leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms (or crimini mushrooms), sliced
1 stalk green garlic, sliced
1/4 C white wine
1/4 C chicken stock

4 oz gnocchi, purchased or handmade
pinch sea salt
1 Tbs shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook the butter until it begins to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped sage leaves and cook another minute. Pour the butter and sage leaves onto a plate and set aside. Pour the olive oil into the skillet, along with the mushrooms and the green garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low and add the white wine and chicken stock. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a small amount and the mushrooms and garlic are tender. Add the sage leaves and butter back to the sauce.

Cook the gnocchi in a large stockpot of boiling water according to package directions, usually about 2 to 3 minutes. The gnocchi will float to the top of the water when they are tender. Strain the gnocchi and add to the sauce. Stir and serve. Top each serving with a pinch of sea salt and some of the Parmesan cheese.

Serves 2

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Green garlic is simply garlic that is picked before the bulb forms into individual cloves. It still tastes like garlic, but is much milder. Also, the stalk still looks like a green onion. Both the unformed bulb and the stalk can be sliced to use in this recipe. If you can't find green garlic, just mince one clove of garlic and slice one stalk of green onion.