Rookie Cookery

Asparagus Frittata Recipe

Is there a vegetable that says "spring" more clearly than asparagus? Tender,  juicy,  and vibrantly green, they burst with delicate, grassy flavor in your mouth.  I have been roasting them and cooking them in a quick pan saute as a side dish, but a favorite way to enjoy asparagus is as a main course egg frittata. It's quick, easy and delicious.

I need more recipes featuring asparagus, but Kevin Weeks over at Seriously Good is making it easy for me.  Kevin will be featuring a round up of links featuring asparagus recipes that will have us all running to the market or, if we are lucky and proactive, our own backyard vegetable gardens.  Thanks for the inspiration and recipes, Kevin! Great idea. I can't wait to see what you find.

Now on to the Frittata recipe.  A frittata is essentially an open face egg pie, like a quiche without the crust.  You start it on the stove top, and finish it under the broiler for a lovely golden crust.  Here I have used locally grown asparagus, but once you add this to your repertoir you will want to try it with all kinds of favorite veggies, cheeses,  or meats. This is the ultimate dish for leftover bits in the fridge, so choose what suits you. The recipe below comes from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes

FRITTATA WITH ASPARAGUS, TOMATO AND FONTINA CHEESE

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tomato, seeded and diced

3 ounces fontina cheese, cubed (or another soft cheese that melts well)

Directions: Preheat the broiler. In a medoim bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, seasonings and set aside. In a non-stick and oven-proof skillet, heat the oil and butter until melted. Add the asparagus and saute until crisp and tender, about two minutes. Add the tomato and saute another minute or two. Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus, and sprinkle the cheese over the eggs. Cover and cook over medoim heat until the frittata is almost set but the top is still runny (about two minutes).

Then place the uncovered skillet under the broiler and broil until the top is set and golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let it stand for a couple of minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from the skillet and let it slide onto a plate or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

NOTES:  Look for asparagus with firm, tight heads. Asparagus can have a woody stem near the base, which is normally cut off. A simpler way to prepare the asparagus is to bend the stem near the bottom, until it breaks.  The asparagus will naturally break at the most appropriate place.  (That's a tip I  learned from Giada De Laurentiis' FoodTv show, and it works for me!)

Any cheese that melts well can be used, and you can grate it rather than cube it if not too soft.  You can also spoon in very soft cheese in dollops, such as ricotta or a goat cheese. Serve with a green salad, toast or bruschetta, and a chilled white wine such as Pinot Grigio. Buon appetito!

Colcannon recipe with corned beef a la Goldilocks

I can't let St. Patrick's Day go by without sharing this recipe for colcannon, a traditional Irish dish featuring mashed potatoes with ham and cabbage. The recipe comes from an Irish woman named Christabel Rossiter, whom I saw interviewed by Tyler Florence on his Food Network progam on the "ultimate potato" last year. While I plan to cook this again tonight, the photo is from last year when I first made this dish.

COLCANNON RECIPE

yields six servings

3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter (NOTE: many reviewers suggested half this amount)
1 and 1/4 cups hot milk
fresh ground black pepper
1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 one pound piece of ham or bacon, cooked the day before
4 scallions finely chopped
chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

Directions: steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel them using a knife and fork. Chop and then mash the potatoes, removing lumps. Add a stick of butter (or less to taste!) in pieces. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring smooth, and the pepper.

Meanwhile boil the cabbage in unsalted water until the color turns darker. Add two tablespoons of butter to tenderize it. Cover with a lid for two minutes. Drain thoroughly, then chop the cabbage into small pieces.

Cover and boil, then simmer the ham for 45 minutes until tender. Drain, remove fat and chop. (Note: I plan to use bacon tonight, which I will fry in a pan.)

Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes and stir gently until combined. Serving suggestion: serve in individual soup plates, making an indentation in the center and adding a bit of butter. Sprinkle with parlsley.

There you have it--the traditional colcannon recipe. Last year I used turkey ham, but this year I plan to use bacon, but reserve some without for my non bacon eating husband. Along with this I will serve:

CORNED BEEF A LA GOLDILOCKS

Is Goldilocks Irish? I don't know. Let's just say I used the Goldilocks method of cooking corned beef today.

First, I placed the beef brisket in my crock pot, as I did last year. But it was too small! I cut off the end of the beef brisket, and poked it down with a spoon, and covered it with water and seasonings. But it still looked too crowded. Would it even boil? "This crock pot is too small!" I said.

So I pulled out my only enameled ironware casserole pot, placed it on the stove top and shlepped the hunks of brisket and water from the crock into the pot. I added more water. It barely covered the beef. Nervously, I brought it up to boil. But it was still too small, and I watched as it boiled over as expected, ready to pounce on it to bring it to a simmer. "This is still too small!" I said.

Then I got out my just-as-narrow, but much deeper, pasta pot, and in a motion than can only be described as "ungainly", I transferred the meat with tongs, and then the hot water, into the third pot.

This one was just right!

Sure and begorrah. (transaltion: "Sure and by God")

Easy Vegetable Side Dish: Sesame Sugar Snap Peas

After all the desserts of the holiday season, I am craving vegetables. We had the family over for Christmas, and I wanted a vegetable side dish that did not have to be served hot. Sugar Snap Peas were the perfect solution: Simply trim the ends off the peas, (I used scissors), then dress lightly with dark or toasted sesame oil and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Ina Garten suggests black sesame seeds for this dish, but I could not find them in Whole Foods, so I used the regular kind. The peas were crunchy and sweet, and I didn't even have to cook them! Now that's a winner for a buffet style meal any time.