Louisiana Crab, Corn and Tomato Gnocchi with Pork and Parmesan Beurre Monté

Ingredients:

• 4 Idaho^® Russet potatoes
• 2 egg yolks
• 4½ ounces all-purpose flour
• As needed olive oil for coating

• 4½ ounces pork broth infused with Parmesan rind
• 2 ounces xanthan gum
• ½ pound butter, cold, medium dice
• 1 ounce extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1½ pounds tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 large sprigs thyme
• as needed olive oil for covering

• ½ cup water
• ¾ cup corn kernels
• 1 pound crab claw meat, picked through gently for shells
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes, place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Salt the water well. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking the potatoes until they are knife-tender.
2. Drain potatoes and transfer to a half sheet pan. Dry potatoes in a 225°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the dried potatoes through a ricer, chill, then run through a tamis.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 3/4 ounces prepared potatoes with the egg yolks.
4. Working gently but thoroughly, incorporate the flour to create a semi-dry, substantial dough. Form dough into a ball. Using a bench scraper, cut off 1-inch-thick pieces and roll into a rope shape. Press the rope with the wooden handle of bench scraper to gently flatten the rope. Cut rope into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan.
5. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and, working in batches, add the gnocchi to the water and cook until gnocchi just begin to float, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to shock. Remove quickly and place on a lint-free, towel-lined sheet pan to dry. When dry, toss cooked gnocchi with a tiny bit of olive oil.

1. Put the broth (pork broth is a byproduct of our pork belly braising liquid) in a blender and turn it on low. Increase the speed until a vortex forms in the broth.
2. Sprinkle the xanthan gum into blender and increase speed to medium-high. Blend for 30 seconds to disperse and hydrate the hydrocolloids.
3. Pour the thickened broth into a pot set over medium-high heat. When broth comes to a simmer, start whisking in the cold butter in small amounts until it is fully emulsified.
4. Put the hot butter mixture into blender and turn the speed on low. Increase speed to medium and pour in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Increase speed to medium-high and blend to fully emulsify the mixture.
5. Store at room temperature for service; refrigerate to store.

1. Core tomatoes, then quarter them. Remove fleshy insides and discard. Place tomato “fillets” in a shallow half hotel pan with the garlic and thyme. Cover with olive oil.
2. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 325°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow tomatoes to cool in the olive oil, then gently remove tomatoes from oil (reserve oil for another use) and carefully pull the skin off the tomatoes using gloved hands. Julienne tomatoes and store in olive oil. (Use gloved hands or a spoon to remove them from the oil—no bare hands.)

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine 48 cooked gnocchi with ½ cup water and the corn kernels. Working quickly, add beurre monté as needed; the water should be almost evaporated, and the corn should be cooked through. Allow the beurre monté to just coat the gnocchi; gnocchi does not need to drown in the sauce.
2. When just warm, add the crabmeat and ½ cup julienned confit tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.