madbaker | Gnoc, Gnoc, Gnocchi on Oven's Door

This week's Resolution Recipe: Wine-Braised Mushrooms and Gnocchi.
"Try to use a variety of different mushrooms here, so each can add its own distinct flavor and texture to the mix."

5 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/4 lbs mixed mushrooms, cut into 1" chunks
salt and pepper
2 leeks, sliced into half-circles
3 cloves garlic, minced (Ha! I used... more.)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup red wine
2 cups stock (I used house-made)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
4 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
12 oz gnocchi
crème fraiche and parsley, for serving

Add 2 Tbsp butter to a large Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. When the butter is melted and hot, stir in half the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms about 4 minutes without moving them too much. Stir and let them brown on the other side, 3-4 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer out to a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with 2 Tbsp butter and the remaining mushrooms, seasoning as you go.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter to the pan. Add the leeks and sauté until they turn lightly golden and start to soften, 8 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and a pinch of salt, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and smoked paprika and cook 1 minute longer. Add the wine, stock, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaf.

Add back the cooked mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and continue simmering over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the gnocchi and simmer partially covered, about 30 minutes, until the gnocchi are cooked and the sauce is thick. Stir in the remaining clove garlic. Remove the bay leaf and thyme branches.

To serve, dollop each bowl of stew with sour cream (this dish needs the acidity). Sprinkle the top with herbs and more smoked paprika.

What worked: This was very tasty, basically a beef stew sans beef. Mushroomy.

What didn't: We were pretty happy with it.

Will I make it again? Sure.