Sweet Potato Dumplings with Toasted Walnuts and Roquefort

A couple weekends ago I had attempted making sweet potato gnocchi and failed misreably as they disintegrated in the boiling water.  I could have cried, but instead tossed them and made a salad for dinner.  I decided to give it a go again today, but this time simply make dumplings so I wouldn't have to go through the shaping process...that will be saved for another time.  This time the dumplings made with they simmered in the water and I removed the first few to sample, I could have cheered I was so happy they held together.  Instead I settled for a sip of my red wine and smiled, since nobody would have heard me cheering anyhow. This time I believe the sweet potatoes in the dumplings were a success, due mostly to adding enough binding elements! 

When they they would be delicious in a soup, but tonight I decided to simply saute them with a little olive oil and shallots, and finish them off with toasted walnuts, spinach for color, and some roquefort cheese, which is one of my all time favorite cheeses.  It has such a wonderful salty yet sweet quality, perfect with walnuts and vegetables!  It was all delicious, and I was happy that I decided to stay home and prepare dinner rather than pay a large amount for it tonight.  Here is the recipe if you would like to try them!  Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you wish to make less.

Sweet Potato Dumplings with Toasted Walnuts and Roquefort

Serves 4-6

2 cups roasted sweet potato puree*

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder

3 large organic eggs

3 cups flour

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup toasted walnuts
juice of 2 lemons
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cups baby spinach
4 oz roquefort cheese, crumbled

To make dumplings, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Beat together eggs, sweet potato puree, garlic, sea salt, and chipotle in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in flour until well combined. Use 2 teaspoons (silverware, not measuring spoons) to form dumplings, scoop up a rounded teaspoon of batter, then use second spoon to scoop mixture off spoon and into boiling water. Make 9 more dumplings. In the boiling water, simmer briskly until dumplings are just firm in center and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate and cool, covered with damp paper towel. Continue making dumplings in batches of 10.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, then add shallots, and saute until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add dumplings, and cook dumplings, turning gently, until heated through and golden on each side, 5-8 minutes. Add walnuts, lemon juice, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and spinach and cook until spinach is just wilted.  Remove from heat and stir in roquefort.  Serve hot!

 

*For puree, sweet potatoes that have been pricked with a fork a few times on a baking sheet in the oven at 450 degrees until very soft, about 1 hour and 10 minutes for large potatoes (or less if smaller).  Allow to cool, remove skin and puree until smooth.