One of my favorite meals is a quick dinner with rice and a frittata (the lazy man’s quiche….no crust). I’ve posted this before and it’s worth repeating. Makes dinner for two and lunch for two and even with the four dollar eggs I now feel compelled to buy ($4 per dozen that is) it works out to be an affordable simple dinner. I finally got reliably good results from Alice Waters’ Chard Frittata recipe. We have beautiful chard in the garden I couldn’t help but show off:
I added more to this one- oyster mushrooms fresh from the market and a little meat. Sauteed all the fillings, letting the onions get dark and sweet on their own first, then the mushrooms, chard stems, and the slices of meat (I am being generic, because it was a gift and it is called a “beef stick” and I just don’t know what else to call it)- adding a bit more olive oil at this point- and lastly the rough chopped chard (I actually just turn the pan off and then add the greens so as not to cook them down too much). Then all that goes into six beaten eggs along with salt and pepper and more olive oil (also garlic, but I left it out on this one)
Scrape all the bits into the eggs, mix together and then heat the pan again and add it all. This is the part that is key to me, departing from Alice’s instructions. I just let it set and then when it seems like the bottom is done (like you can lift it with the rubber spatula) but the top is still liquidy I put it under the broiler flame and it gets this beautiful delicate bubbly browned slightly crispy layer that clearly defies description. Many recipes tell you to invert the whole thing onto a plate and then cook the other side. I can’t imagine that being successful, and I also have never seen a picture of one cooked this way so I don’t know that it would look nice or have nearly such a unique and pleasing texture as the top flame method
This technique may not work with electric ovens- I don’t know. When I turn my oven on there is a flame in the broiler section, I put it under a medium flame, not the full broiler heat. I think you can also just put it in the oven close to the top as long as it heats from there. All better choices than this ridiculous flip.
4 Comments
Beautiful chard. I’m envious.
I’ve successfully used the broil feature on my electric oven with frittatas. It doesn’t turn quite as lovely and brown as yours, but I might not be leaving it long enough. When I’m being really lazy, or if it’s too hot to have the oven on, I just cover the frittata on and finish it on the stovetop. It doesn’t brown at all then, but at least at least the top cooks.
saw your link via the Times and stopped by to visit. great site….thanks. Will be tring the chard tonight
Laurie, that’s good to know. I remember doing the lid thing as well, before getting attached to the puffy results under the broiler. It all works well and it’s such an easy big dinner with endless variations.
Clive,
Great, thanks for reading!
Post a Comment