237 SOUTH 400 WEST
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84101
(801) 935-4431
BUZZ WILLEY, HEAD CHEF
A little flare of Portland sits on the fringes of downtown Salt Lake City. A couple of entrepreneurs—Rocky Derrick and Drew Eastman—banded together to renovate an old warehouse space into something of a destination for its design alone. Locally designed lighting with a nod to the industrial revolution, eye-catching art hung in perfectly random order on the walls, mismatched glass pitchers alongside dark-stained wood tables, and an old-world-style bar give Pallet an atmosphere worth making a visit.
The building formerly housed Salt Lake’s first creamery, where wooden platforms were once loaded into trucks, hence the name Pallet. There’s no escaping the double entendre of the creamery’s pallets and the palate on which Chef Buzz Willey sees a canvas.
Buzz chose the path less traveled according to his family line, not venturing into business but instead into his individually found passion of food. His grandmother sparked his interest in cooking, and he would cook with her at family holiday gatherings while the other kids would be outside playing. His individuality continued when he dropped out of college for culinary school, letting his heart lead the way. And today his heart guides his cooking still, as he enjoys bringing fresh fish, seasonal dishes, and high-end cooking to downtown Salt Lake.
When you sit down to eat, you’ll immediately be drawn to the art on the walls. Co-owner Rocky Derrick’s wife, Courtney, painted each oil painting herself, each speaking to the era of the building. The dark aura around the room creates the perfect vibe for this art-gallery bistro.
The drinks are equally as intriguing with modern takes on vintage cocktails, with bitters and shrubs all coming from the passionate mind of Matt Pfohl.
(SERVES 5)
For the gnocchi:
3 tablespoons salt
4 large potatoes
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
For the gorgonzola cream:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups gorgonzola
Special equipment:
iSi whipping cream maker
To prepare gnocchi: Dust salt on one half of a sheet pan. Poke holes on one side of each potato and place each potato holes down on the salted half sheet. Put potatoes in the oven at 400°F for about 30–45 minutes. Allow potatoes to cool, then slice the side of the potato that has the holes and scoop out the meat with a spoon. With the potato ricer rice the potatoes into a large bowl. Form a well in the center of the potatoes. Add the flour into the well, then place the egg yolks in the well and stir with your fingers.
Knead the dough lightly just until the ingredients are mixed and the dough comes together. Lay the dough on the table and allow it to rest for 5–10 minutes. Roll dough out and cut out gnocchi with a bench knife to thumb-width thickness. Place gnocchi on a flour-dusted half sheet pan.
In a large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil. Heat up a sauté pan while you wait for the water to come to a boil. Once the water is boiling, drop in the gnocchi in batches. When the gnocchi floats to the top, remove them with a slotted spoon.
In the heated sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon butter and allow it to brown until it gives off a nutty aroma. Add the gnocchi to the brown butter and cook to a golden color. Remove the gnocchi from the pan and enjoy with the gorgonzola cream sauce.
To prepare gorgonzola cream: In a saucepan bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Slowly incorporate the gorgonzola by crumbling and folding it into the cream. Once all the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth, add to the iSi whipping cream maker to the designated amount. Insert the nitrous oxide charger and shake. Apply the desired amount of foam on top of the gnocchi.
Note: You may serve gnocchi with your favorite pasta sauce, pesto, or cream sauce if you choose not to make the gorgonzola cream.
(SERVES 15)
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon
1½ pounds semisweet chocolate chips
15 large eggs
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Spray a 13 × 18-inch half sheet pan with nonstick vegetable spray and line with parchment paper. Spread butter on the parchment paper evenly (about 1 tablespoon butter will do the trick) and set aside.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Dice the butter into small cubes. In a large mixing bowl, add the chocolate chips and diced butter, then place the mixing bowl above the boiling water, creating a double boiler. Mix the chocolate and butter occasionally until melted and silky smooth.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixer add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Using the whisk attachment, mix until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is silky smooth. Slowly add the chocolate and butter mixture to the egg mixture while the mixer is still running.
Once the chocolate and egg mixture is fully incorporated, pour it onto the buttered sheet pan. Place the chocolate cake in the oven and bake for 30–45 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. Remove the cake and allow to cool.
To serve, reheat in oven to desired heat and serve with ice cream and fresh berries.
