Italian with a local twist

Kevin Guard loves to invent dishes using local ingredients. The Kapiolani Community College culinary arts-trained chef cooks private dinners as The Guarden, a play on his last name.

This recipe uses Okinawan sweet potatoes and turns them into delicate gnocchi. Topped with a coconut sauce, herb butter, mushrooms and Portuguese sausage, this is one of Guard’s most-requested main dishes.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Coconut Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds Okinawan sweet potatoes, skin on
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup fresh flat leaf or curly parsley, leaves only, chopped
• 3-4 leaves fresh sage, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 8 ounces Portuguese sausage, mild, medium or hot, 1/4-inch diced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1-2 ounces white wine
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cover potatoes with foil and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and cool. Peel, cut into chunks and put in a food processor until smooth. Place in large mixing bowl, add eggs, season with salt; add flour and cheese. Fold until well combined. Form a ball, dust dough with flour, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and dust with flour. Place dough on a smooth surface. Dust dough with flour and use a knife to cut off a small portion of the dough. Roll the dough into a cylinder about 3/4-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Dust with more flour and place on the sheet. Repeat. Keep gnocchi in fridge for 1 hour if using then, or freeze for later.

To make herb butter, place parsley, sage and garlic in a food processor until mixed. Add butter and salt to taste. Set aside. Heat a pan on medium high, cook sausage until edges brown and drain oil. Clean pan and on medium-high heat, cook mushrooms until golden brown; add sausage and wine. Add coconut milk; reduce heat to medium low.

Boil a large pot of salted water. Add gnocchi in batches, cook them until they float, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the water and transfer into the sauce. Add coconut sauce and 1 heaping tablespoon of herb butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

Lynette Lo Tom is the author of cookbooks A Chinese Kitchen and Back in the Day. She wants to hear about your cooking shortcuts. Reach her at lynette@brightlightcookery.com or @brightlightcookery on Instagram.