Canada, Canadian wines, Chardonnay, Diamond Estate, Niagara, white wines, Wine and Dine, Wine and Food, Wines from Canada
Brown Butter Gnocchi with Sage, Zucchini Flowers, and Parmesan
Jun
Canada’s take on the art of simplicity
Brown butter isn’t a sauce. It’s a choice. The moment when butter stops being butter and starts to smell of hazelnut, caramel, and depth—that is the moment this dish has been waiting for. Toss the gnocchi in it, add sage leaves that crisp up and release their oil, a few zucchini flowers on top that weigh almost nothing yet change everything. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Done. And then the EastDell Black Label Sur Lie Chardonnay from Niagara-on-the-Lake goes into the glass—a wine that works just the same: rich yet fresh, with a texture from sur lie aging and a buttercream note that doesn’t merely accompany the dish but carries it forward.
Ideal wine pairing: EastDell Chardonnay Sur Lie Black Label (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada)
EastDell Estates is part of Lakeview Wine Co. in Niagara-on-the-Lake—one of Canada’s most classic wine-growing regions, where Lake Ontario stabilizes the climate and ensures long, consistent ripening periods for aromatically rich Chardonnays. The 2022 vintage was small but powerful: Winter damage significantly reduced the yield, but the grapes that remained showed exceptional concentration. This Chardonnay is a blend from two vineyards, pressed whole-cluster and fermented and aged on the lees in French oak barrels—with regular stirring (bâtonnage), which gives the wine its characteristic creamy texture.
In the glass, it’s a brilliant golden yellow. The bouquet is seductive: fresh butter, lemon meringue pie, apple, and light baking spices. On the palate, it’s rich but not heavy—shortcrust pastry, apple, pear, warm spices, and a mineral freshness on the finish. The textural tension between creaminess and freshness is this wine’s hallmark. With brown butter gnocchi, it’s not a recommendation but a natural pairing: the wine’s butter notes and the nutty beurre noisette speak the same language; the apple and pear fruit keep the dish’s creaminess alive; the spice notes echo the sage. A pairing that speaks for itself.
The recipe:
Brown Butter Gnocchi with Sage, Zucchini Flowers, and Parmesan
Equipment
- 1 Großer Topf für die Gnocchi
- 1 Helle Stielpfanne oder Sauteuse (hell, damit man die Bräunung der Butter sieht)
- 1 Schöpflöffel
- 1 Reibe für Parmesan
- 1 Schneidebrett und scharfes Messer
Ingredients
FOR THE GNOCCHI:
- 500 g Gnocchi store-bought or homemade
- Sea salt for the cooking water
FOR THE BROWN BUTTER (BEURRE NOISETTE):
- 80 g Butter unsalted, good quality
- 10 –12 fresh sage leaves
- 1 garlic clove lightly pressed, unpeeled
- sea salt black pepper
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 6 –8 zucchini flowers Stamp removed, cut in half
- 50 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Fleur de Sel
Instructions
COOKING GNOCCHI:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface (about 2–3 minutes).
- Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain briefly.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cooking water.
HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER:
- Melt the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic.
- Continue heating the butter—it will foam at first, then the foam will subside.
- As soon as the whey particles turn golden brown and the butter gives off a hazelnut aroma, add the sage leaves.
- Fry the sage for 30–40 seconds until crispy.
- Remove from the heat immediately—the butter will continue to brown in the residual heat.
FINISHING THE GNOCCHI:
- Remove the garlic.
- Add the drained gnocchi to the brown butter.
- Sauté over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until the gnocchi are lightly browned.
- Add a splash of cooking water to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Season with salt and pepper.
SERVE:
- Divide the gnocchi between two deep plates.
- Place the fresh zucchini flowers on top—they should only be warmed through, not cooked.
- Generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest and fleur de sel.
- Serve the EastDell Sur Lie Chardonnay at 10–11 °C.
SIDE DISHES:
- Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Toasted white bread for spreading butter on
Nutrition
