joe eats

Notes from Chef Joe
This frittata combines the ubiquitous brunch staple, the egg, with loads of fresh vegetables to make a dish that anyone will enjoy. Like many of our recipes, this is simply a template that can easily be changed. If you have other vegetables or cheeses lying around, throw them in instead. Want to change this to make the ingredients more seasonally appropriate throughout the year? Go for it! You could even stick to one vegetable and one cheese to highlight a specific taste combination – sun dried tomatoes, asiago cheese, and basil. Feta, spinach, and mushrooms. Even bacon and sharp cheddar would work. The recipe here presents a classic combination of garden vegetables that work well for any occasion, and could easily be served with a lightly dressed side salad and breakfast biscuit or rolls for a more complete meal.

Ingredients
¾ pound thin asparagus
1 large red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper (optional, choose size according to heat desired)
2 medium shallots
1 small zucchini
2 scallions
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 ½ tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup feta, crumbled (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Set a large pot of salted water on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil. In the meantime, trim asparagus bottoms and discard. Cut asparagus into 1 inch long slices. Prepare an ice bath in a large mixing bowl, with cold water and plenty of ice. Place sliced asparagus into boiling water and blanch for 30-45 seconds. Turn off heat on water and, using a large slotted spoon or handheld wire strainer, transfer asparagus to ice bath. Let cool in ice bath fully for 1 minute and drain thoroughly in colander. Set aside in a small bowl.

Cut bell pepper into 1 inch long, ¼ inch wide strips. Slice jalapeno in half, remove and discard stem, core and seeds. Finely dice jalapeno and shallots. Halve zucchini lengthwise and cut into ½ inch segments. Slice scallions diagonally into thin slices.

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and melt butter. Add peppers and shallots and stir occasionally until peppers are softened and shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, cream, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Butter an 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ¾ loaf pan and place all vegetables in it. Pour custard into baking dish to cover vegetables and sprinkle with feta. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in middle of oven until nearly set, about 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue cooking until frittata is golden and set, about 5 more minutes. Cool frittata on a rack about 5 minutes, slice and enjoy!

Savor on,

Marney