Cast-Iron Sweet Potato Gnocchi for a January Reset That Still Feels Like Sunday Supper
January always puts me in that tug-of-war: I want a “reset,” but I also want the comfort of Sunday supper—the kind my grandmother in Atlanta could coax out of a pot with nothing but time and love. This dish is my truce.
The inspiration started with a ham hock. In our house, that smoky little knuckle was the backbone of greens, beans, and anything that needed a steady hand. I took that same soulful broth, then lightened the landing with tender sweet potato gnocchi—seared in cast iron until the edges get that browned, biscuit-like crust I can’t resist.
Radicchio came in like winter’s honest bite: I char it quick so it turns sweet and a little bitter, like good coffee. And the pickled celery leaf—my chef’s-touch nod from Charleston kitchens—wakes the whole bowl up. One sniff and it’s like the garden cracked a window in the dead of winter.
Make it yours: swap radicchio for escarole, add a splash of fish sauce to the broth for depth, or finish with hot pepper vinegar if you like it bright and Southern.
Featured Recipe
Cast-Iron Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Smoky Ham Hock Broth, Charred Radicchio & Pickled Celery Leaf
In January, I want something that feels like Sunday supper but eats like a January reset: cozy, brothy, and bright. These tender, skillet-seared sweet potato gnocchi float in a smoky ham hock broth with winter chicory’s gentle bite, then get lifted with a quick pickle of celery leaves that tastes like the clean snap of the garden in the middle of winter.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Whole sweet potatoes (orange-flesh)(about 2 medium; garnet or jewel)
- 1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour(plus more for dusting; start with 1 cup and add as needed)
- 2 tbsp Fine cornmeal(optional but I love the subtle Southern grit and texture)
- 1 Egg yolk(helps bind without making the dough tough)
- 2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt(divided)
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg(optional; tiny pinch gives warmth)
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter(divided)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 large Ham hock(or 2 small; smoked)
- 1 small Yellow onion(halved)
- 1 Celery rib(roughly chopped (leaves reserved for pickle))
- 4 Garlic cloves(smashed)
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme(or 2 sprigs fresh thyme)
- 1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes(optional)
- 6 cup Water(for the broth)
- 1 small head Radicchio(quartered; or use endive/escarole mix if that’s what you find)
- 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar(for quick pickle)
- 1 tsp Honey(or sorghum)
- 1 packed cup Celery leaves(from your bunch or reserved from the rib)
- 1 lemon Lemon zest + juice(zest first, then juice)
- 1/3 cup Pecans(toasted, roughly chopped)
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano(finely grated; optional but beautiful)
- 2 tbsp Chives or scallion tops(thinly sliced)
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 425°F. Pierce 1 1/2 lb Whole sweet potatoes (orange-flesh) a few times, set on a sheet pan, and roast until very soft, 45–60 minutes. Let cool until you can handle them, then scoop flesh into a bowl and mash until smooth.
60 min
Tip: Roasting (not boiling) keeps the potatoes dry, which means less flour and lighter gnocchi.
- 2
In a pot, combine 1 large Ham hock, 1 small Yellow onion, 1 Celery rib, 4 Garlic cloves, 1 Bay leaf, 1/2 tsp Dried thyme, 1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and 6 cup Water. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook until the broth tastes smoky and rich, 75–90 minutes. Remove ham hock; pull off a little meat, chop it, and return it to the pot. Strain the broth if you want it refined, or leave it rustic.
90 min
Tip: This is the same kind of ‘pot liquor’ my grandma prized—only I’m treating it like a restaurant broth: clean, layered, and spoonable.
- 3
In a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp Honey, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, and 1 lemon Lemon zest. Toss in 1 packed cup Celery leaves and let sit 15–20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
20 min
Tip: Celery leaf tastes like the top notes of a whole garden. Pickling turns it into a bright little wake-up call for the bowl.
- 4
To the mashed sweet potato, add 1 Egg yolk, 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg (if using), and 2 tbsp Fine cornmeal (if using). Fold in 1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour until it forms a soft dough. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time only if it’s too sticky to handle. Turn onto a floured surface and gently knead 30 seconds—just until cohesive.
10 min
Tip: The lighter your touch, the lighter the dumpling. If you knead like bread, you’ll get chew instead of pillowy.
- 5
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a rope about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch pillows. Optionally roll each piece over the back of a fork for ridges.
15 min
Tip: Ridges hold broth the way a good biscuit holds gravy—little pockets of joy.
- 6
Bring a wide pot of salted water to a simmer. Boil gnocchi in batches; when they float, cook 30 seconds more, then scoop to a tray.
8 min
Tip: Keep the water at a lively simmer, not a violent boil, so they don’t break up.
- 7
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 3 tbsp Unsalted butter and 2 tbsp Olive oil. Add gnocchi in a single layer and sear until deeply golden on one side, 2–3 minutes. Toss and brown another minute. Transfer to a plate.
5 min
Tip: This is my chef’s touch: boil for tenderness, then sear for that skillet-built flavor we Southerners chase.
- 8
In the same skillet, add a touch more oil if needed. Lay in 1 small head Radicchio quarters cut-side down and cook until edges char and leaves soften slightly, 2–3 minutes per side. Season lightly with salt and 1 lemon juice.
6 min
Tip: Radicchio is winter’s bitter greens—char turns the bitterness into something sweet and smoky.
- 9
Bring ham hock broth back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust with salt and lemon juice. Divide gnocchi among bowls, ladle over hot broth, tuck in charred radicchio, and top with chopped ham hock meat. Finish with pickled celery leaves (and a little of their brine), 1/3 cup Pecans, 2 tbsp Chives or scallion tops, and 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano if using.
5 min
Tip: Don’t skip the pecans—crunch is the counterpoint that makes the whole bowl feel complete.
Chef's Notes
This dish is my January love letter to two kitchens: my grandmother’s Atlanta stove where ham hocks meant ‘company’s coming,’ and those Charleston fine-dining nights where we’d turn humble stock into something elegant with one sharp note of acid and a bit of char. If you want to go meatless, swap the ham hock broth for a smoked mushroom broth (add a piece of kombu and a splash of soy), and keep everything else the same—still Southern in spirit, just wearing a different coat.
Marcus Stone
Heritage recipes with a chef's touch
My grandmother's kitchen in Atlanta is where I learned that food carries history. Every pot of collards, every batch of biscuits, every Sunday roast told stories of resilience, family, and love. I went on to train at the finest restaurants in Charleston and worked my way up through white-tablecloth kitchens. But I always came back to those family recipes—now I cook them with a chef's technique but a grandmother's heart. Because the best food honors where it came from.