Earlier, I shared the best ricotta gnocchi I’ve ever made, so I thought you might like an easy sauce to go with it. I’ve been featuring smoked salmon a lot lately, so it seemed like a natural transition from this smoked salmon salad to do something heated. What makes this sauce perfect for gnocchi is the lighter flavor profile where the potato flavor still comes through.
Pretty Basic Salmon Cream Sauce
Basically, this sauce is just sweated shallot, salt, and cream that thickens because of heat. To me, the best part about this sauce is the smoked salmon, so feel free to add extra. It just really accentuates the dish for a rich, sweet tasting sauce.
Tip: As with most cream sauces, the trick is to really season with salt and pepper from beginning to end (a lot).
Heavy cream adds richness, so you could try adding a splash of lemon juice to cut through some of the fat. I typically grate nutmeg over it a few times – a trick I learned from a French chef. Then, I just serve it with spinach and loads of ground pepper.
I also highly recommend grating Parmesan cheese just before serving. While I made mine with gnocchi, you could just as easily pair it with pasta or steamed vegetables.
Smoked Salmon Cream Sauce with Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 recipe ricotta gnocchi or store bought gnocchi
- 3 shallots thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 oz smoked salmon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 oz Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 oz parsley chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch spinach (optional)
Instructions
- To make the shallot cream sauce, warm a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt the butter and saute the shallots with salt until very tender and translucent.
- Chop the salmon and add to the skillet with heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the cream thickens. Season with nutmeg, parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Serve with leafy wilted spinach greens and gnocchi (or pasta).
Notes
How to Cook Gnocchi:
Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer. Drop a few gnocchi (potato dumplings) into the water. They will sink at first but will float after a few minutes. Strain the floating gnocchi after 1 more minute. Serve warm.Smoked Salmon:
Smoked salmon is available pre-packaged in most grocery stores. If you don’t have access to smoked salmon, you could use fresh salmon or canned salmon. To adjust the flavors, I recommend adding more salt because the smoked salmon really seasons the dish with salt.Nutrition
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