Category Archives: Vegetarian

Shaved Radish and Celery with Garlic Chives, Pine Nuts, and Anchovy-Caper Dressing

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I am fortunate to live in an area that promotes farm to table eating and locally sourced food.  I have two farmer’s markets in close proximity to me and I do my best to swing by each weekend.  This is truly the best way to venture out and try produce I’ve never bought, or even heard of for that matter.  I remember first buying a watermelon radish years ago, and almost falling over when I cut into it and witnessed the brilliant fuschia interior.

radish

You just don’t get those moments when you’re staying in your comfort zone.

Now, I do realize that not everyone lives so close to a farmer’s market so I wanted to share a simple Spring salad made of local ingredients to me but not so esoteric that you won’t be able to find them at your favorite market.  Here I’ve adopted one of my favorite vegetable cutting techniques, shaving on a mandolin.  Mandolins are not so scary once you get comfortable with it, and are willing to forsake the last inch of produce to keep your fingers intact!  They really produce beautiful shapes with great texture.  They are also cheap, and can be found all over the place, so get one if you don’t already have one.

Since I love salads that DON’T include greens (no offense to the Cruciferous vegetable family.  I love you, just not everyday), this is a favorite combination of mine when the weather starts to get balmy.  The crisp, slightly sweet radish is offset by the oniony chives and pungent anchovies and capers.  The pine nuts are buttery, the parmesan is just that hit of rich salt you need, and the fresh lemon brightens it all up.  One important thing in keeping the salad crisp and lovely:  Dress the vegetables as close to serving as possible.

Here’s to spring, healthful living, and the farms that work to provide us with these gorgeous treats.  From my market to yours, enjoy.

 

Shaved Radish and Celery with Garlic Chives, Pine Nuts, and Anchovy-Caper Dressing

SERVES 4

 

1 large bunch radishes, trimmed, scrubbed, and shaved on a mandoline

3 large stalks celery, shaved on a mandoline

1 teaspoon anchovy paste, OR 1 anchovy filet, finely minced

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon coarsely chopped capers

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

¼ cup parmesan, freshly grated

1 Tablespoon garlic chives OR standard chives, minced

Sea salt and cracked pepper

 

In a jar, combine anchovy paste or filet, lemon juice, olive oil, capers, parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Shake vigourosly.

In a large bowl, combine radishes and celery.  Toss to combine.  Add pine nuts and parmesan, tossing again.

Add the dressing and chives to the salad and fold until well blended. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve within 30 minutes.

 

*My Two Cents:  Toasted walnuts or almonds would be a nice swap for the pine nuts here.

If you don’t care for anchovy, simply replace it with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.  It won’t have quite the same punch, but it’ll be close.

 

 

Photo credit:  organic authority.com

Silken Cauliflower Soup with Seared Brussels Sprout Leaves and Crushed Almonds

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Take a look at the ingredients below.  Take a good, long look.

Okay, you’re probably done.

There are two ingredients in the soup itself:  cauliflower and onion.  I, too, was skeptical of how this soup could be as creamy and full-bodied as was promised with so few players.  I was skeptical, that is, until I saw that this was a recipe from Paul Bertolli.

Paul Bertolli spent over 20 years making culinary magic at Chez Pannise under Alice Waters, and Oliveto, both in California.  If there is anyone that can bring a humble vegetable to white-glove status, it is Chef Bertolli.

I learned of this soup in late September and have made it 6 times since.  The stewing technique used here softens the cauliflower in the most gentle way, coaxing rather than hammering the flavor out.  The result is a satin smooth texture and cauliflower that tastes like the most cauliflower-est cauliflower you’ve ever had.  (I’ve thought of how to describe the taste more articulately, other words sound more eloquent but none are more accurate.)

Another wonderful thing about this soup is that, like with most soups, it is even best made ahead of time and therefore ideal for entertaining.  On that note, the true exclamation point for this soup was when my friend Clare and I served this at a very elegant dinner party we were private chefs for.  Clare suggested adding Brussels sprout leaves and almonds for crunch and beauty, both of which these two simple garnishes provide.  We served many interesting courses that night, but the dish that may have been praised most was this silken soup.  We heard more grumbles of affection over cauliflower than salted caramel ice cream.

Need I say more?

 

 

Silken Cauliflower Soup with Seared Brussels Sprout Leaves and Crushed Almonds

Adapted from Paul Bertolli

Serves 8

 

For the soup:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (6 ounces), sliced thin

1 head very fresh cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets

5 1/2 cups water, divided

Salt, to taste

 

 

For garnish:

½ cup lightly sautéed Brussels sprout leaves

5 roasted almonds, chopped

 

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.

Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup if necessary.

Serve hot, garnished with a few Brussels Sprout leaves and chopped almond pieces per serving.

 

*My Two Cents:  Feel free to leave off the suggested garnishes and simply drizzle with great extra virgin olive oil and shower with freshly cracked pepper.  This is, in fact, what Chef Bertolli does.

Other great garnishes would include frizzled shallots, garlicky croutons, or fried herbs

Sweet Potato Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Toasted Pepitas

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A few weeks ago, I was headed out to CT to visit my dear friend Elissa, and her daughter Ava, and I was on a mission.  You see, both daughter and mother were sick and I was just the friend who would swoop in there with my gingham cape, cook up a storm, and nurse them back to health.  Turns out, there was a problem.

I was sick, too.

I agreed to still come out (even having a cold is more fun with friends, provided they don’t run the risk of being recruited from Team Healthy to Team Sick), but resolved to the fact that I would not be my politely force-feeding self.  I just didn’t have it in me.

This was the soup I dreamt of making for my girls, and since I had the ingredients set to fulfill their destinies I cooked it up that following week, as soon as I felt the veil of lethargy lift.   It turned out to be good timing, too, as this is the sort of soup that restores you.  It is creamy, warm, a little spicy and sweet.  It satisfies your hunger and embraces your chilled bones.  It is the most delicious kind of medicinal.

You will want to make this all season long: healthy, sick, alone, or sandwiched between friends and family you love.

As for my culinary-inspired trip to CT, we subsisted on an artisanal orange juice known as Tropicana, and a lovely, syrupy drink known as Robitussin.  It was divine.

 

Sweet Potato Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Toasted Pepitas

Adapted from “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook,” by Amy Traverso.

Yield: 6 cups
1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
½ lb. baby-cut carrots
1 large apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 inch-long piece ginger, peeled and cut into medium chunks
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup apple cider

Optional garnish:  1/4 cup pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, carrots and apple with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Arrange on a foil-lined sheet pan (shiny side up) and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to a pot and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, bay leaf and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook until the onions just begin to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, broth and cider, stir, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf from the pot and use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, process the soup in three batches to avoid splattering hot liquid. Return the pureed soup to the pot, taste for seasoning, and serve garnished with pepitas if desired.

Blue Hill Farm’s Kale and Farro Salad

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This recipe comes from the extraordinary restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a mecca of fresh and local food that sources its ingredients from the surrounding pasteurs and farms in Pocantico Hills, New York.  There is truly not enough room on this blog to boast all that they do, but you can get a glimpse of them HERE.

And, you can get a humble taste of them here.  I made this salad yesterday, and it will be a salad I return to many times this fall, I assure you.  I fell in love with kale salads a couple of years ago, and the first one of the season tells me that autumn is really here.  You may remember last year I posted my Superfood Salad, with raw kale, roasted beets, red cabbage, and tahini.

This one interprets kale very differently, as the pine nuts, farro, currants, Parmigiano-Regianno cheese, and Tuscan kale all sing of Italy.  The farro, also known as ember wheat, is one of my favorite grains.  It is chewy, nutty, and very hearty:  add it to the vinegar-doused kale, plump fruit, salty cheese, and buttery pine nuts and you’ve got the best darn bite your taste buds could hope to get.  Please note, if you cannot find currants you can use dried cranberries; if you do not have a shallot you can skip it and add more chives; if you have white or red wine vinegar, the kale will wilt pleasingly under that as well.  This recipe makes a very large salad, so cut the portions in half or thirds for a more conservative quantity. The only must is that you specifically use Tuscan (otherwise known as Lucinato or Dinosaur kale), and authentic parmesan cheese.  This is a salad with simple and rustic ingredients so use the best quality you can afford.

Since securing a waitlist seat for Stone Barns is as hard as getting a 7:30am tee time at Augusta National, this dish will need to tide you over.  Enjoy this salad in all of it’s healthful, genius glory.

 

BLUE HILL FARM’S KALE AND FARRO SALAD

SERVES 12-16

• 1 cup dried currants
• 1 cup orange juice
• 4 cups thinly sliced Tuscan kale or other kale
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups cooked farro*
• 1 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (authentic Parmigiano-Regianno)
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan

In small bowl combine currants and orange juice. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 2 to 24 hours to plump currants. Drain currants; discard half of the orange juice.

In large bowl toss kale with white balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. In very large bowl stir together cooked farro, plumped currants and juice, pine nuts, and shallot.

Add kale mixture, Parmesan cheese, chives, olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper; toss well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to large serving dish. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Serve at room temperature. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

*Cooked farro: In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 4 cups uncooked farro; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add 6 cups water and 1 bay leaf. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 25 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and farro is just slightly chewy. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Transfer cooked farro to sheet pan; spread out to cool. Measure 6 cups for recipe. Chill or freeze remaining farro for another use.

 

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Blackberries, Basil, and Walnut Oil

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There are some dishes you come across that change your life.

Dramatic?  Not for me.

Isn’t life ultimately about love?  How to give it freely, how to open ourselves more fully every day to receive it?  Isn’t it about using gifts and passions of ours to show the people in our lives that they matter?  Isn’t it about consumption, creation, learning, and giving?

Well, this is at the heart of my love of cooking.  I love cooking because I love people.

When I tasted the inspiration for this soup at what has quickly become my favorite new restaurant in Brooklyn, Parish Hall, I immediately knew that I wanted everyone I loved to experience it.  It was sweet, thoughtful, and vibrant.  It was so much more than the sum of its parts.

I went to work creating my version of this special soup, swapping walnut oil in for the authentic squash seed oil, and leaving texture in the base rather than pureeing and straining it completely smooth.  I knew that the Parish Hall Chef had used a Vitamix Blender to get that velvety texture, but this should be something anyone could make at home.

I wanted this to be a beautiful, and considerate first course that felt simultaneously homey and elegant.  I wanted this to show that every day is an opportunity to create something, taste something, share something, and maybe even change your life.  Each time my meals are met with broad smiles and grateful hearts, that’s precisely what happens.

 

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Blackberries, Basil, and Walnut Oil

Serves: 6

 

12 ears of corn, corn stripped from the cobs

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoons butter

¾ cup heavy cream

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup blackberries, halved

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, torn

walnut oil, for serving

 

You first need to make the stock:  Place corncobs and 14 cups cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 1⁄2 hours.  Discard cobs, and reserve stock in separate bowl.

In the empty stockpot, sweat shallots with butter and ½ tsp salt over medium-low heat until translucent, 5-6 minutes.

Add corn kernels and sauté for 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Add corn stock, and bring up to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.  Lastly, add the cream and stir briefly to combine.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender to desired texture.  Transfer to a shallow dish and refrigerate until cold.

To serve, ladle soup in serving bowls and garnish with blackberries, basil, and a drizzle of walnut oil.

Tomato-Melon Gazpacho with Basil

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I’m going to say it:  I find fault with what many of us have come to regard as classic gazpacho.  I mean, I get the whole “tomato salad as a soup” thing, but I’ve never been able to get excited about it.  When you take a base of raw tomato, celery, herbs, and vinegar you wind up with a pureed version of a salad I wouldn’t necessarily be fond of either, containing whole tomato seeds and a raw texture that borders on gritty.  If you’ve found the same to be true, I urge you to think outside the box and start with this ingeniously simple gazpacho brought to us by Mark Bittman, the ultimate glorified minimalist.  I first discovered this recipe about 5 years ago, and though I practice seasonal gazpacho promiscuity, this is one I make with great frequency.

A few things set this soup apart:

1)    Tomatoes are combined with sweet melon to create a naturally sweet and creamy soup, that is the perfect, glistening apricot hue

2)    Both the tomatoes and melon are briefly sautéed to coax out the natural juices and get the raw edge off

3)    The tomatoes are peeled and seeded (yes, this means an extra step but the skins are bitter and the seeds are impossible to puree, so it’s really necessary to make this soup what it is), leaving nothing but the succulent flesh to be pureed into creamy deliciousness.  Here is how I do it:

Core them by cutting a small divot out of the stem end of the tomato; then make a small ”x” in the skin of the opposite end. Prepare an ice bath, and then plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 10 or 15 seconds. Quickly remove the tomatoes and drop into the ice bath.  When cooled off, peel the skins with a small paring knife, cut in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds.  I learned in school to use the back end of a soup spoon to scoop out the tomato cavities, it is the quickest way to get the job done.

This is a soup that takes a bit of planning as it must be very cold when served.  Because it is so creamy and mild, this makes it taste like the best savory/sweet summer milkshake you could imagine.

TOMATO-MELON GAZPACHO

By Mark Bittman, The New York Times 1999

SERVES 4-6

 

4 tomatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, blanched as directed above

1 3-pound cantaloupe

5 tablespoons olive oil

10 leaves basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of a lemon.

Core, peel and seed tomatoes; cut flesh into 1-inch chunks. Seed melon, and remove flesh from rind; cut into chunks. Place a tablespoon of olive oil in each of two 10- or 12-inch skillets and turn heat under both to high. Add melon to one and tomatoes to the other, and cook, stirring, until they become juicy, no longer than 2 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree melon with tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and basil, along with some salt and pepper. Stir in remaining olive oil. Chill, add lemon juice to taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

Farmer’s Market Carrot Salad with Mizuna, Ginger, and Raisins

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The warmer months make it so, so easy to be a rockstar.

No, I’m not referring to shoulder baring crop tops and cut-off denim, or cherry red convertibles blasting the latest summer anthem.  I’m talking about the party that appears on your plate when you take advantage of the impressive bounty that the Earth provides.

I ran down to my neighborhood farmer’s market last weekend and picked up yellow and pink heirloom tomatoes, rainbow colored beets, and sunburst carrots with lengthy tops.  Just a quick look and you can tell they are just hours out of the ground.

Produce this spectacular and fresh needs very little but a few accessories to make them shine.  This is where the rockstar part comes in.

This is a lunch I whipped up after returning home from my weekly voyage.  The ginger is bright, the mizuna is spicy, and the carrots and raisin marry to provide natural sweetness.  Cucumber provides crunch and a bit more texture.

I cannot say it enough, step outside of your comfort zone and search out a farmer’s market.  Wander around, eavesdrop, and ask questions… that’s what the farmers want!

Love your farmer’s market, and it will love you back.

 

 

Farmer’s Market Carrot Salad with Mizuna, Ginger and Raisins

Serves 4-6

 

2 bunches carrots, the freshest you can find, washed and peeled

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 cup mizuna (spicy, Asian lettuce) leaves

1 cup English cucumber, diced

1 cup raisins

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

 

Using a vegetable peeler, shave each carrot into wide ribbons.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the carrot ribbons and toss quickly for just 20 seconds to take the raw edge off.  Add raisins, lemon zest and juice, ginger and a dash of salt and remove from the heat.

Once completely cool, add the mizuna leaves and cucumber and toss.  Add the other tablespoon of olive oil, more salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.  Serve.

 

George Bush Broccoli

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George Bush Sr. does not like broccoli.  In fact, he was famously quoted as saying:

 ”I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. I am President of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.”

Well, I am certain he has never eaten broccoli like this.  By now you may have caught onto my slightly maniacal roasting obsession.  When properly cared for, B list vegetables get an instant upgrade with a high heat roast in the oven.  The most important thing about getting this broccoli right is that it be as dry as you can get it.  Moisture, after all, is the enemy of browning.

You can wash the broccoli and allow it to air dry, you can pat it dry with a clean towel, or…. wait for it…. skip washing the broccoli.  Before you think the anti-shower-chic vibe of Williamsburg has gotten to me, consider that no bacteria would survive in a 400 degree oven.  Really, this should not be a concern.

The result is supremely seasoned, garlicky roasted broccoli with a tender interior and crispy browned exterior.  It is salty and lemony and delicious.

Hey George:

This one’s for you.

 

GEORGE BUSH BROCCOLI

SERVES 4

2 large heads broccoli, THOROUGHLY dried, stems removed and large florets cut

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

zest from 1 lemon

juice from 1/2 of that lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread broccoli out on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add lemon zest and toss thoroughly to coat each floret with oil, zest and seasoning.

Add garlic slices and toss one more time.

Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned and tender.

Remove from oven and, while still very hot, add lemon juice.

Toss and serve.

Serious Fire-Roasted Guacamole

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I encourage everyone I know to check out Gilt Taste.  It is a division of the fantastic Gilt Group, and you will find special deals on gourmet food products and wine, stories from the MOST talented food writers, and really ridiculous recipes.  A fabulous feature is the “How to Make a Better…” by Gourmet Magazine veteran Ruch Reichl, where she leads you through her tirelessly tested methods of preparation for roast chicken, poundcake, scrambled eggs…. You name it.  The talented and saucy Francis Lam is also a favorite of mine, for many reasons, but this dish is near the top.  You will notice that this recipe below is uncharacteristically lengthy for a guacamole recipe.  This is for two reasons:

1)    Lam’s witty commentary and suggestions are too good to cut out

2)    This is not your typical guacamole.

Avocados are a thing of beauty in their own right (Lam informs me that the Chinese fittingly refer to avocados as “butter fruit”).  Laced with a punchy, tart salsa verde made of smoky tomatillos and chile peppers makes them even better.  This takes a few minutes to throw together, but the result is a guacamole so complex and delicious that you’ll come back to it over and over again.

This is serious stuff.

 

FIRE- ROASTED GUACAMOLE

By:  Francis Lam – Gilt Taste
Serves 6-8

6 ounces tomatillos (about 4 medium-sized ones)
3 jalapenos (If you like it hotter, use more, or use a chile with more kick)
1 ounce onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 fistful cilantro leaves (about 1 cup, very loosely packed), plus more for garnish
2 limes
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons olive oil
5 medium, really ripe avocados (I prefer Hass)
Salt, to taste

 

If your tomatillos are still in their papery husks, unhusk them, pop off the stem, and rinse in water to get that gummy stuff off. Dry them. You can do the responsible thing and set them high under a broiler for a few minutes to char the top, flip them, then char the other side, but you know and I know what you really want to do: Fire up the stove, get a pair of tongs or long skewer, and roast them like the marshmallows of the vegetable world. You’re not really looking to turn them into naughty-boy lumps of coal, but burn them until they’re evenly blackened all over. Set them in the bowl of a food processor.

Char the chile peppers the same way, and let them cool enough so you can handle them. Trim off the stem end, open them up, and cut out the seeds and ribs. (If you like more heat, you can keep them in.) Chop the peppers reasonably fine and add to the food processor.

Add onion, cilantro, the juice of 1 lime, and a generous pinch of salt to the tomatillos and peppers in the food processor and pulse until it’s basically a liquid. Taste, and add more salt if necessary to make it savory and balance the sourness somewhat.

In a small pan, heat the garlic and oil over medium heat. Swirl it a bit, and smell the goodness. When it turns slightly golden, swirl constantly until the garlic is a rich golden brown (but not, you know, brown-brown). Stir it into the tomatillo puree until the oil incorporates. (At this point, you’ll have a delicious salsa, which you can use on its own.)

Split the avocados:  Slice into the fruit with your knife from top to bottom and “roll” the avocado along the knife so you make one cut all the way around. Put down the knife and twist the halves in opposite directions, like you’re opening a jar, and they will come apart, exposing the pit. If your knife is sharp, give the pit a good, careful thwack to embed the blade in it. Twist and it will come out. (If your knife isn’t very sharp, or you’re nervous about thwacking your hand instead, just dig it out with a spoon.) Gently peel off the skin, and cut the avocado flesh into either ¼” or ½” dice (your call; the bigger, the more of a contrast between flavors. If your avocados are fantastic, go big; if merely very good, go small.). Spritz them with a little bit of lime as you work to keep them from turning brown.

Season avocado chunks with salt, until they taste really good. Gently fold in the salsa. Adjust seasoning with salt, in necessary, and garnish with some more chopped cilantro.  If you aren’t serving for a few hours, be sure to place plastic wrap tightly against the surface of the guacamole to deter browning. Serve and watch the praise come down.

 

 

Garden Vegetable Frittata

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I’ve got a busy life.  Not to say that most women out there don’t have just as busy of a life, but we seem to think our daily stressors and constant demands are unique to us because… well… they’re only happening to us.  We all juggle numerous balls in the air, keep dozens of lists (and lists of our lists), and may even find ourselves tempted to complain about having TOO many friends to correspond with.

Sigh; It’s tough being in high demand.

This is why I like to streamline things as much as possible.  I like to carry a purse that is big enough to carry my lunch and my gym clothes for after work.  I like to walk 20 minutes to the office from the subway to get in a little cardio, and I like to make meals that can serve me for breakfast, lunch, or a light and casual dinner.  This is where a frittata comes in.

It’s your usual egg meets vegetable meets cheese concoction, but elevated with a few touches.  The onions are cooked longer than usual to develop an unctuous sweetness, the jalapeno adds a unique kick, and the seltzer gives the frittata nice volume. 

The most important part is to use an oven-safe non-stick skillet.  In culinary school we were not allowed to use the likes of a non-stick skillet, but now that I call the shots I say go for it.   I have no interest in winning a medal for “Greatest Egg Related Feat with a Regular Skillet.”  Lord knows that would just bring on a whole new set of fans and friends that I don’t have the capacity for.

 

 

 

GARDEN VEGETABLE FRITTATA

SERVES 6

 

12 large eggs

2 T seltzer water

1 teaspoon salt

½ tseaspoon cracked black pepper

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets

2 cups baby spinach

1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced very thin

½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat butter over medium heat, in medium nonstick (10-inch) sauté pan. Add onions and cook until they start to caramelize, about 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally to prevent from burning.

Stir in broccoli and jalapeno and cook until slightly softened, 5 minutes.  Add spinach and cook for two minutes more.

Remove onions and broccoli from pan and set aside.  Wipe pan with paper towel and spray with nonstick cooking spray, placing it back over low heat. Beat eggs, seltzer, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Pour in egg mixture and add sautéed vegetables, tomatoes, and grated cheese.  Cook about 2 more minutes on the stove.

Transfer to oven and bake 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the eggs have just set in the center.  With a kitchen towel or oven mitt, remove from oven and slide out of pan onto a cutting board.   You may also loosen around the edges with a knife and invert onto a plate, before flipping back over to serve.  Cut into wedges and serve right away, or set aside to cool to room temperature.

*My Two Cents:  This is a method, more than a recipe.  Add any vegetables or cheeses you wish.  Potatoes, onion and rosemary are a great combination too.