Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese
1-2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
1 tbsp picked thyme

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and start a large pot of salted water boiling. Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet tray and using a fork, poke four sets of holes in them. Roast for 35-45 minutes or until soft all the way through. While this is roasting, combine egg yolks and cheese in a large mixing bowl.

While the potatoes are still hot, use a potato masher or a food mill to puree them into the cheese/egg mixture. Mix well until cheese is melted and place in the fridge. Once the mixture is cool, place on a floured work surface and begin kneading the flour into it 1/2 cup at a time. Add only enough flour to make the mixture slightly firm. To test the dough as you work place a small piece in the boiling water and watch for it to float. If it breaks apart, add more flour. If it floats and is very firm and tastes like flour, you’ve added too much. Ideally use only enough flour to bind the mixture so it holds together in the water.

Once you have enough flour in the dough roll it out into 3/4-inch diameter logs and cut it into 1-inch long pieces, lightly flouring them to keep from sticking. Boil them in small batches until they float for 30 seconds, placing them immediately in a ice water bath.

Start a large sauté pan on the stove on high heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter in the pan until dark brown, sauté the gnocchi in the butter until crispy on one side, add the picked thyme and season with salt and pepper. Drain off the excess butter and serve hot.

Glazed Baby Vegetables

1 bunch baby carrots 1 bunch baby red beets
1 bunch baby yellow beets 1 bunch baby turnips
1 bunch kale 2 tbsp butter unsalted
2 tbsp champagne vinegar 3 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Peel the baby turnips and carrots and trim the greens off 1 inch from the vegetable. Place in separate pots of salted cold water and bring up to a boil, slowly poaching until tender. Once the vegetables are tender move them to a bowl of salted ice water. Peel the baby beets by hand using a towel (the peels should come right off if they are cooked through). Pull the stems off of the kale and cut into large strips. Place a large sauté pan on high heat and melt butter until dark brown. Add the baby vegetables and sauté lightly until hot. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook until the sugar melts into a light glaze. Add the kale last and cook until wilted but bright.
Serve immediately.

Tomato Saffron Butter

3 cups tomato juice (blended and strained roma tomatoes
work the best)
3 cups white wine
2 shallots
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 small pinch of saffron
1/2 pound of butter
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Method:

In a stainless steel saucepot combine the shallots, bay, thyme, wine and tomato juice. Reduce this until only a thin layer in the bottom of the pot remains (approx. 1/4-inch thick). Strain all the liquid into a clean stainless steel pot, and add the saffron. On medium heat begin to whisk in the cold butter 1 tbsp at a time until the sauce is a velvety thick texture. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Present the dish with the sauce on the bottom of the bowl, the gnocchi and vegetables on top and fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano to finish.

Recipe by chef Jake Crenshaw of T. Maccarone

Makes 4 salads

White Truffle Vinaigrette
1 egg yolk 2 large shallots
1 tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp picked fresh thyme
1/2 cup white balsamic 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white truffl e oil salt and pepper to taste
In a blender combine the mustard, egg yolk, shallots, thyme and white balsamic. Blend thoroughly, then slowly begin to add the oils in a thin stream, this should create a thick creamy dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pear Salad
2 crimson pears cut into 1/8” wide sticks
4 Tbsp pine nuts
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shaved from the block
with a peeler
½ bunch of frisée with the greens trimmed off
¼ pound mixed greens washed
3 Tbsp white truffle vinaigrette
Toss all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and carefully stack on a salad plate, enjoy immediately.

Recipe by chef Jake Crenshaw of T. Maccarone

Crenshaw is your go-to, grace-under-pressure kinda guy. Through his cooking, he has the humility of Clark Kent and the star-quality of Superman.

Though he could have the ego of a small country, having graced the kitchens of Michel Richard’s Citronelle in Santa Barbara, Sazarac and Tamara Murphy’s Brasa in Seattle (to name just a few), Crenshaw confines his selfdom to his kitchen and quietly goes about his business. He leaves the buzz out on the floor.

With two landmark restaurants closing recently, to what do you attribute T. Mac’s good fortune?

Chef Jake : It’s never OK when restaurants close in a town. For us, I think what’s helped is that we’re seen as a value. We like to keep our portions on the large size and keep our prices as low as we possibly can. And, we made the decision to be open every day – you can always get a meal here at 8 p.m. on a Sunday, or at 8:45 p.m. on a Monday. It’s all about the customer.

Do you need music when you cook?

It’s nice but it can be distracting. I’m a mellow guy – I like NPR.

Any quirky traits/superstitions you’re known for in the kitchen?

When you’re presenting food, odd numbers are better than even. Even numbers are bad luck.

Kitchen tool you can’t live without?

My old 10-inch Global chef knife. I’ve had it for 12 years now and it’s about an inch shorter than when I fi rst got it.

Is there an unlikely food pairing or combination that’s really worked?

I defiantly believe in keeping food balanced, having adequate acidity and salt, and also having savory sweet combinations. We have a duck dish on the menu right now with our house-cured pancetta, dates and a white bean ragout. I finish it with maple syrup and white balsamic vinegar and the results are great.

What chef would you like to cook a meal for you?

Ferran Adriá from El Bulli in Catalonia — he completely pushes the envelope. Adria is known for “molecular gastronomy” (now referred to as “techno-emotional” cuisine) … In fact, I would love to eat my way through Spain right now.

Underrated ingredient?

Fresh eggs! My wife and I have chickens and the difference between a real egg from a happy chicken and the store-bought ones is incredible. Ginger Case and her family (Chicken Chore Treasures) have some of the best eggs in the Valley – we buy every egg that they can produce for us.

Pet peeve in the industry?

When more attention is placed on how food looks rather than how it tastes.

If I were to open your refrigerator at home, what would I find?

A lot of tofu and vegetables.

What do you like to cook at home?

Asian food and comfort foods. I’m trying to hone my Korean soup skills right now.

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