Thomas Kellerman's Gnocci with Mushrooms and Butternut Squash

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/GNOCCHI-WITH-MUSHROOMS-AND-BUTTERNUT-SQUASH-231343


Bouchon it was not, but for a vegetarian Wednesday night it fit the bill. I pulled this recipe from epicurious.com without looking at it too closely. Basically, it fit the criterion: it needed to have butternut squash in it and it was vegetarian. Except it turned out that the CSA delivered acorn squash (which Adam was kind enough to remind me I specifically ordered) and Lucky's grocery store does not sell gnocci. But whats making dinner without a couple of setbacks? I figured the acorn squash would be fine and, miracle of all miracles, the market around the corner sold whole wheat gnocci (sorry, Tom, I am not making fresh pasta when ANTM is on).
A glance at the recipe, and I thought I could have it ready before Tyra started parading her crazy all over the CW. The truth of the matter is I grossly underestimated the strength and stamina it takes to hack an acorn squash into 1/2 inch cubes. Seriously, between manuvering the peeler around all of the clefts in the gourd and trying to get a knife through it, I might as well have been felling a redwood. Still, my love of squashes perserved and slowly I has formed a pile of mostly 1/2 inch cuberectangle. My knife skills were found lacking in this particular exercize but it wasn't until the second time I cut my hand did I give up. I definatly did not come up with the three cups the recipe recommended.
After heating up the canola oil, then adding the butternut squash, then butter, then sage (I used 6 big leaves instead to the recommended 12 small). I kept an eye on it to make sure it all cooked without getting too brown while I sliced the shallot. Once the squash mixture turned golden and smelled good, I put it on a plate lined with paper towels next to the stove. I wiped out the pan, put another coat of canola oil on, and added the sliced portobello mushroom until it soaked up all of the oil in the pan. Then I added the butter, sliced shallots, sprinkled some dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Once that was all cooked - I left the shallots a little underdone for texture - I put it on the plate with the squash.
Tom says the gnocci should be cooked in two pans, but because I don't have a dishwasher I only use one and, as Tim Gunn says, make it work. The gnocci, which I cooked for a couple of minutes, is added to the skillet with browned butter in it. After the gnocci is browned, I added the acorn squash and the mushroom mixture to the pan until warmed then I put it in two bowls.
Finally, I cleaned out the pan again, melted some butter until it browned and put the sage leaves back in until they were crispy. I purposely left out the chives and parseley, and I totally missed when to add the lemon.
Not French Laundry, but darn good. (however, after dinner we realized that the gnocci we bought at the corner store had expired in 01/2008, so I hope I am okay in the morning.)

buen provecho!