The Chef: Giuseppe Tentori (Boka, GT Fish & Oyster)The Challenger: Charles Joly (the Drawing Room)The Ingredient: pollen
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Giuseppe Tentori used to take bee pollen in smoothies, so he was already somewhat familiar with it. “I think it’s used more for medicinal qualities than flavor,” he said. “I really like the flavor, but it’s not for everybody.”
The gnocchi were a traditional potato variety, consisting of roasted potatoes passed through a food mill and mixed with egg yolk and a bit of flour; the one difference was the bee pollen paste Tentori made by heating the granules with a little water. After quickly kneading all the ingredients together, he let the dough rest before rolling it out and cutting tiny gnocchi out of it. They were small, he said, because the bee pollen was pretty intense: “It’s got a long finish, deep flavor.”
Video by Michael Gebert/Sky Full of Bacon
Sarah Grueneberg of Spiaggia, working with propolis, a resinous substance bees use to seal open spaces in their hives. “Pretty much, it is the poop from the bee,” Tentori said. “When you smell the propolis, there is nothing similar. It’s so deep—it’s got a great, rich aroma. It’s just very unique, earthy.”
Place potatoes on an oven-safe tray and roast in a 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Remove from oven and allow them to cool. Peel the skins off and pass the fluffy centers through a food mill.
