Saison Braised Brats with Gnocchi

Last time I was in Kennebunkport I had a nice day cooking pizza and drinking beer with some friends. The beer we were drinking was from Allagash, and this Saturday they are hosting a dinner at the same restaurant for their third annual Saison Day. I wanted to join in on the fun and make a recipe featuring their saison.

Bratwurst traditionally pairs with beer so braising the sausage in saison made sense immediately. I was inspired by meat and potatoes as a classic pairing for beer, so I made potato gnocchi to go with the sausages and used the braising liquid to form a sauce for the pasta.

 

Making gnocchi can be therapeutic.  Everything in it's place.

 

Beautiful.

 

Sausages browned and the beer goes in next. After the sausage is chopped and the greens and gnocchi are added, the dish is looking good.

 

A little cheese helps thicken the sauce to really coat the gnocchi and sausage.

 

The beer adds a bitterness to everything that plays well with the savory sausage and spicy chile flakes.

 

The gnocchi are tender and go great with the chewy sausage. If you live close enough to check out saison day, you should!  You won't be disappointed!

Saison Braised Brats with Gnocchi

 

  • Gnocchi
  • 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • 1 Cup Flour (about)
  • 1 Egg
  • salt and pepper(each)
  • The Dish
  • 3 Bratwurst Sausages
  • 1 Small Onion (diced)
  • 1 Tablespoon Flour
  • 1 Allagash Saison
  • 1 Bunch Rainbow Chard (stems removed and leaves sliced)
  • 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

    Make the Gnocchi

    1. Coat the potatoes with some olive oil and salt. Roast at 350 until fork tender, about an hour and a half.
    2. Peel the potatoes and use a potato ricer to break the potatoes into small flakes.
    3. Mix the potatoes with an egg and the flour and bring together. If it feels wet, add more flour as needed to bring it together. Do not knead this mixture, you want to mix it as little as possible while still forming it into a nice homogeneous mixture.
    4. Roll into a log and cut into gnocchi sized pieces. Use a fork to roll the gnocchi into the usual shape you expect with the ridges. (See photos)

    Make the Dish

    1. Cook the sausages in some oil on medium heat to brown on both sides. Add in the onion and cook a few minutes to soften and lightly brown.
    2. Add in the flour and stir well. Make sure the flour has dissolved and is incorporated with the oil. There shouldn't be any lumps and the flour should very lightly brown after a few minutes of cooking and stirring.
    3. Add in the beer and stir well. Mix to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer. Add in the chard. Cook about 10 minutes stirring often.
    4. Remove the sausage from the pot and slice it into half moons.
    5. Meanwhile, boil the gnocchi.
    6. Add the cooked gnocchi to the pot along with the chopped sausage. Stir well. Remove from heat. Add in the mozzarella slowly, stirring upon each addition to incorporate the cheese into the sauce and prevent clumping. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
    7. Add in the pepper flake and serve.