Confounding canistel. You are super sweet, starchy, and sticky with egg-yolk-orange flesh (hence your nickname egg fruit). Most cooks use you in desserts, but you know I’m a savory gal. And though it sounds easy enough to substitute you for sweet potato and pumpkin, I can’t use you until you turn to near mush. What is an Occaional Omnivore to do?

Alas, I used my first ripe canistel in a batch of gnocchi that were infused with Meyer lemon and tossed with butter, sage and pancetta. While the gnocchi were tasty, their texture was a bit gummy. And only the sweetness and color of the canistel stood out. Otherwise the fruit was invisible. The verdict: I wouldn’t use the recipe again, so I won’t share it with you here.

The star of the meal was sweet kale cooked simply with olive oil, garlic and chicken stock. The match-up pitted familiar vegetable, easy preparation and stellar results vs. exotic fruit, involved preparation and acceptable results.

With two more ripe canistel in my fruit bowl and three more in the box this week, I won’t admit defeat. Yet.

Zucchini usually serves as filler in my recipes. I often fail to celebrate its mild flavor. But this weekend, a first course at Convivio in New York reminded me how good zucchini can be. The course: stracciatella with creamy cheese curds and julienned zucchini. The flavors spoke volumes in a sumptuous whisper. 

I decided to whip up a simple zucchini-based dinner of my own on Tuesday. And coming off of a week’s vacation with bags to unpack, a messy house, etc., speed was of the utmost importance. 

I settled on pre-packaged gnocchi along with ingredients I always have on hand—butter, pecans and red pepper flakes. The results couldn’t have been more satisfying. Lots of brown butter provided all the richness and sauciness a gnocchi could want, crunchy pecans offered up texture and sweetness and the zucchini worked its quiet magic. 

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Zucchini and Pecans
4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 (heaping) cup chopped pecans
1 pound zucchini, cut into 2-inch hunks and julienned 
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
16 ounces packaged potato gnocchi
1/3 cup grated Parmesan 

Instructions
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Just as it begins to turn golden, add pecans. Cook pecans until flesh is light golden and butter is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add zucchini and red pepper flakes, and cook for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

As zucchini cooks, add gnocchi to water, and cook according to package directions. Drain gnocchi, and add them to frying pan, tossing with butter, zucchini, and pecans. 

Top gnocchi with parmesan cheese and serve.

Serves 3 main course portions

I’ve adapted this quick week-night staple from a similar epicurious.com gnocchi recipe. It’s a highly adaptable combination—spinach, asparagus or fresh tomato also would make pleasing editions. Although I’m a fan of dairy fat, I use half and half here instead of heavy cream, but the latter would yield an even more sumptuous result. Let your calorie conscience be your guide. 

Lemony Gnocchi with Peas and Mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 clove garlic, finely diced
3 to 4 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup frozen green peas
12 ounces pre-packaged gnocchi
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions
Bring water to boil in a large stock pot.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add onion and sweat 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Pour in cream, and add salt to taste, red pepper flakes, and frozen peas. Simmer for 5 minutes. 

Salt the boiling water, and cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Add lemon zest and juice to mushroom-pea mixture. Drain gnocchi and add to sauce. Mix in parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves 2 (hungry) to 3 (normal) people