Crab and Asparagus Gnocchi and Cheese
Gnocchi replaces macaroni in this creamy, comforting gnocchi and cheese dish. I mixed in some crab meat and asparagus, you can mix in whatever you’d like!
The other day, Hubby texted me to say I should work from home. He goes in to work at the crack of dawn (around 6am) as I’m just getting out of bed. He warned me that the roads were bad, so with my car being not so great on slippery roads, I heeded his warning and worked from home.
As the day progressed and more snow fell, it was starting to become one of those days where you just want some pure comfort food. I had been eyeing this recipe for a while so I had most of the ingredients on hand – score. I really wouldn’t have to leave the house that day (or change out of my pajamas).
Hubby went to shovel the driveway right after getting home from work and when he came back in we sat down to eat. Now he’s wishing I would work from home more often. 🙂 I love that this recipe uses gnocchi instead of pasta. I used real crab meat, which definitely isn’t cheap, but it’s SO worth the splurge on this recipe. You can taste crab in every bite since the meat is basically shredded and mixed in.
I added asparagus to the recipe because I wanted something green in there. You could leave it out or sub something else in if you wanted. I also reduced the amount of bread crumbs on top after reading the comments on the original recipe. I would love to make this again with different mix-ins. I’m thinking ham and peas would be great.
Two Years Ago: Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies
Three Years Ago: Chocolate Hazelnut Baklava
Four Years Ago: Two Potato Chowder
Five Years Ago: Smashed Chickpea Salad
Crab and Asparagus Gnocchi and Cheese
Gnocchi replaces macaroni in this creamy, comforting gnocchi and cheese dish. I mixed in some crab meat and asparagus, you can mix in whatever you'd like!
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
16 oz gnocchi
1 lb cooked crab meat
1 lb asparagus, chopped
4 Tbsp butter, divided
2 Tbsp flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 oz shredded gruyere
6 oz shredded havarti
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
pinch smoked paprika
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. Bring to a boil, and cooked the gnocchi according to the package instructions.
Drain the gnocchi and place in a 9X9 inch baking dish. Add the asparagus and crab meat and mix.
In a large sauce pot melt half of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour followed by the garlic and lemon zest. Cook for another minute, then add the milk and whisk until smooth.
Once the mixture is warm, add the cheeses. Stir to blend, then add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and paprika. Once smooth, taste for salt and pour the cheese mixture over the crab, asparagus, and gnocchi. Mix and smooth in the baking dish.
Then melt the remaining butter and toss with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and the top is golden.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Recipe adapted from A Spicy Perspective
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I have been looking for a great dip recipe, and this one looks delish! I’m glad you got your brother to share your recipe =)
Spinach and artichoke dip is my very favorite. I don’t make it often, but it’s one of those things my family expects at family events. My goddaughter even made me a special artichoke plate to serve it on!
Lucky you to get to share your brother’s secret recipe. Family recipes are the best.
Love this recipe and the fact that fresh spinach is used and not frozen! I love spinach and artichoke dip, but have always been intimidated to make it…. WHY!?!? It looks so simple. On my to-do list! 🙂
Yum…so trying this one on Sunday!! Thanks!!
One of my all time favorites! Yummy!
Yummy! This dip seems to be a favorite of almost everyone 🙂
Dear bean town baker
I’m afraid this isn’t the best way to cook corned silverside – it’s a very tough cut and needs to be braised in water and vinegar to get it tender. I add a range of aromatics and whole spices to the braising liquid – you can try fennel seeds, mustard seeds, star anise, any pickling spices …. But you are right that traditionally bay, peppercorns, cloves, allspice are the mainstays.
I add celery carrot and whole brown onion. I’ve also tried using ginger ale or coke for the braising liquid as suggested in a few online recipes (American) but I don’t think the expense is justified by the extremely subtle differ action in flavor. This is a dish for when you are low in funds after all.
The cut of silverside you get is also key … my mother would always ask the butcher for a piece of silverside from the H-bone – though todays butchers don’t always know what you are talking about when you ask for this!
Simmer it until the beef floats to the top (timing will depend on the size of the piece of beef but usually 3-5 hours). You pop in the carrots and spuds towards the end, and can also steam sliced cabbage over the pot in a colander which traditionally accompanied the dish. (I retrieve the whole onions from the braising liquid and add these to the cabbage along with butter, seasoning and occasionally a few sultanas). The small spuds, once tender, should be tossed with butter salt and pepper and parsley.
It’s crucial to cut the beef against the grain, and you must keep leftovers in the fridge submerged in the braising liquid or they will dry out.
Traditionally the dish is accompanied by a white sauce made from the braising liquid, cream, Dijon mustard (I also add horseradish) white pepper and (my own addition) a dollop of Mayo along with some parsley. It needs to be quite runny.
I hope this is useful to you. This is the way my family have been preparing corned beef for generations. The leftovers are terrific in sandwiches with mustard pickle and cheese.