A beautiful but cold winter’s day must have made the thought of garlic butter with something warm spring to one boy’s mind.
Mmmmmmm garlic!

Happy to run with that vital meal base, on wandering the markets they discovered some Italian gnocchi. Smelling the dish already, they jumped at the chance to purchase (for $6) a kilo of these cute little potato dumplings to toss through a mound of garlicky, parsley laden melted butter. Other  boy embellished the meal plan with the suggestion of diced smoked speck through the sauce and went off to purchase parsley and enough speck with the $6.00 left.

Now, if you have clued on to our budget, you would be thinking that is beyond the $10 cap… Well, we had brother and niece (all the way from Adelaide) join us on their request to be part of the RLC, so $2 extra was allowed. Such is the allure of the surprise of RLC.

Whilst the gnocchi was boiling, about 125 g of unsalted butter was gently melted in a saucepan. 125g diced speck (half the amount actually purchased) was added and gently sauteed, and 2 crushed cloves of garlic stirred through and cooked for 30 or so secs. The washed and chopped bunch of parley was added off the heat.
The drained gnocchi was tossed through this garlicky, parsley butter sauce.
Brother and niece were very satisfied to have traveled so far for lunch* and I do believe I saw some finger wiping the bowl action going on from some people.

But wait, there’s more……….
To top off the experience, RLC guests provided some chocolate slices and Red Velvet cup cakes for afters.
And we had guests coming for afternoon tea!!!!!! That is another post in itself!

I am writing this after all guests have gone, all squeals of fun and all the eating and laughter and discussion around the table has dissipated, with tummy’s full and souls satisfied.
Dinner. That is so not needed tonight.

*They actually were in the state for other reasons really.