loading...
Every morning, I wake up…starving.
I’m not much of a late-night snacker, so when the alarm goes off at 7:00 a.m., it’s been a while since my last meal, and I can feel it. Of course, there’s always coffee, but a strong cup of Joe seldom agrees with my empty stomach.
Walking into the kitchen, I fill my coffee pot with water and carefully measure out CC’s breakfast blend before pressing the “on” button.
Then, my stomach starts to protest.
Certainly, I could reach for cereal, grab a banana, and give in, but on those occasions when I have friends in town or am planning for a long run, I need more than processed grains to hold me over—I need protein.
Frittatas are a great way to answer a hungry stomach: filling and cheesy, they’re a warm welcome to the breakfast table when cereal just won’t do. Because most frittatas rely on a heavy dose of eggs, milk, and cheese, this one-skillet dish makes an easy way to fill up first thing in the morning, without too much of the caloric guilt one might have with high-fat bacon or starchy hash browns.
But what I especially like about frittatas is how easily they can be made in a pinch. When you’re low on ingredients and need to go to the store, simply grab half a dozen eggs, leftover cheese, and last night’s vegetables, and get to work. With a little prep and some time in the oven, breakfast frittatas reap big rewards before the coffee pot has had time to finish brewing.
For this recipe, I’ve selected my favorite greens, cheeses, and spring vegetables. Whether it’s March or May, I always have eggs on hand, but other ingredients might vary.
Pictured: seasonal vegetables and greens make a great addition to any frittata. Although I use kale and cherry tomatoes here, try locally-available heirloom tomatoes and basil for a quick substitute.
It would be harsh to use the term “bottom-feeding” here, but you get the idea: when selecting ingredients for your frittata, take advantage of what’s available in your fridge and throw it into your frittata just as you might a gumbo pot. There’s plenty of room to play around—leftover roasted vegetables, neglected greens, excess herbs all have a place in that cast iron skillet. In the past, I’ve made frittatas with a combination of roasted broccoli instead of kale, Cheddar instead of mozzarella, and egg whites for half of the eggs.
Many of my friends reserve frittatas for special occasions—a light Mother’s Day brunch or Sunday meal. But, while you wait for that coffee to finish, combat hunger with something you’ll be glad you actually ate: high-protein, low-calorie eggs with your choice of ingredients will keep you fuller longer and offer a serving of vegetables before noon.
Now that’s a great way to combat early-morning hunger.
Spring Frittata with Kale, Shallots, and Tomatoes
Yield: 4 servings
Experience the wide range of ways to bring life to this breakfast dish with a single change to vegetables, cheese, or spices one at a time Clearly Delicious’s Asparagus and Tomato Frittata with Gruyère Cheese, Elise Bauer’s Spinach Frittata with Goat Cheese, & David Lebovitz’s Kale Frittata with Spicy Sausage.
Ingredients:
* cooking oil, such as vegetable or olive
* 1 cup kale, roughly chopped
* 2 small shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
* 6 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 cup milk (whole is best here, but I’ve also used skim as well)
* 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
* 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed
* Salt and pepper, to taste
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
1.) Preheat oven to 350F and lightly oil a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet (I used olive oil here). Prep ingredients: roughly chop kale, thinly slice shallots, and halve cherry tomatoes. Beat eggs together with the milk and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2.) Over medium heat, sauté the kale and shallots until the greens have wilted and the onions are tender and beginning to brown (about 4 to 6 minutes). Throw in halved tomatoes and sauté 2 to 4 minutes more, until skin has puckered and tomatoes have begun to cook down. Add garlic and mix to combine, cooking until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
3.) Pour egg mixture over sautéed vegetables, stirring to incorporate the eggs around the vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir one last time.
4.) To cook frittata, you have two options: I choose to immediately transfer the skillet to oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or when a knife comes out clean and dish has set. Or, to speed things up, continue to cook the dish on the stove top until halfway set, then transfer to your broiler at medium heat and cook until set (stove times will vary).
Remove skillet from oven and rest for several minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
*Cook’s Note: frittatas, or the Italian “omelette,” can be made a variety of ways. My mother always cooked her frittatas on the stove top in a nonstick skillet, sliding them gracefully onto a plate when she was done. Other variations suggest you stick with the cast iron skillet, but cook the frittata until it’s halfway set before transferring it to the broiler or oven. Here, I transfer the dish to the oven, kick back, and relax once I’ve added the eggs. My technique ensures that heat distributes more evenly with savory results that do not dry out (an issue that can occur without a skilled hand in the first two techniques).
—
Follow me on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/helana/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DancesWLobsters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clearly-Delicious/103136413059101
Tumblr: http://clearlydelicious.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/helanabrigman
Spring Frittata with Kale, Shallots, and Tomatoes,
Google+
No Comments