Sausage, potato, arugula frittata

So, not the healthiest frittata in the world, but definitely a weekend treat! I am intrigued right now with preparing frittatas and eggs in general. I like the idea of adding more protein to my breakfasts, and eggs seemed like a good way to start. The heirloom tomato tart carried me through several meals, but I like the idea of the frittata as a gluten-free alternative to the tart or quiche!

This recipe became a great way to use up a leftover grilled sausage from earlier in the week. A little potato, arugula, onion and cheese and remembering not to cook the eggs too long and I think I'm finally getting the hang of this!

Sausage, potato, arugula frittata

1 cooked italian sausage, cut into disks if using raw, remove from casing and brown before adding the potato and onion to cook
1/4 cup onion sliced thinly
1 small yellow potato sliced thinly with a mandolin and cut into half moons

pinch red pepper flakes
salt & freshly ground pepper

1 handful arugula, or spinach, tough stems removed
2-3 Tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano
6 eggs

- Preheat the oven to 400

- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs

- In a large non-stick, oven-safe skillet or cast iron skillet, heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat

- Add the onions, potatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and saute until onions are softened and potatoes are cooked

- Add the arugula and cook until wilted

- Lower the heat and stir in the eggs and cheese, mixing until all of the ingredients are incorporated

- Over low-medium heat, let the mixture cook until the bottom is set and the middle is still loose approximately 5 minutes

- Put the skillet in the oven and let cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit to finish setting.

Sweet corn risotto, scallop and shrimp skewers, Eric Ripert's arugula and yogurt salad

This plate of food epitomizes dinner in August to me. A corn risotto topped with a chopped tomato and basil salad, skewers of bay scallops and shrimp spiced with a creole seasoning, and a refreshing arugula salad with yogurt dressing.

The salad is from Eric Ripert's amazing cookbook A Return to Cooking. It almost works as a palate cleanser with the meal and is a perfect accompaniment to the creamy risotto and seafood. His recipe calls for goat's milk yogurt, chives and pine nuts. I omitted the pine nuts and chives and used regular yogurt and it still was delicious.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH YOGURT DRESSING

1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp minced shallot
1/4 tsp minced garlic
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 large bunches arugula

- In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

- To serve, place arugula in a bowl, and just enough dressing to lightly coat the arugula and toss.

Avocado Asparagus Tartine

A couple of weeks ago I made this amazing avocado asparagus tartine from 101cookbooks. I adore this website and have found every recipe I've tried to be delicious. This tartine was no exception. I had never before considered combining asparagus and avocado. I made just two little tartines (halved the recipe) for Jason and I to enjoy one evening as an amuse bouche while we cooked dinner one evening and look forward to serving this again. Bookclub perhaps?

4 toasted slices of whole grain bread or french baguette
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound thin asparagus stalks, trimmed to be the length of the bread
1 garlic clove thinly sliced (optional)
1/2 teaspoon carraway seeds
1 avocado pitted and smashed with a splash of lemon juice
a couple of handfuls of arugula tossed in olive oil
toasted pepitas

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat
• Add asparagus and a pinch of salt and cook for about 30 second
• Add the garlic and carraway seeds and cook for another 30 seconds or so and remove from the heat
• Spread each slice of bread generously with the mashed avocado
• Top with a bit of arugula, several asparagus spears and a few pepitas

* I made mine without the arugula and it was still delicious!

Potato, Arugula and Herb Frittata

Potato, Arugula and Herb Frittata

- 2 small red potatoes, quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 small yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
- Approx. 2 oz. arugula, stem ends removed and leaves roughly chopped*
- 8 organic eggs
- large handful parsley
- 10-12 basil leaves, chiffonade
- some chopped tarragon**
-  Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
Tabasco (optional)
*if you can’t find arugula, use spinach
** use whatever herbs you enjoy or have handy
 
Preheat the oven to 425
 
In a cast iron skillet (or other skillet that can go on top of and in the stove) heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
 
Add the potatoes and cook, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes
 
Add the onion, some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened, about another 8 minutes
 
Add the arugula and cook until wilted, about a minute
 
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk the eggs, herbs, salt and pepper
 
Once the arugula is wilted, add the egg mixture to the skillet
 
Cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until the center is starting to set
 
Put the skillet in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes (if you want, turn it up to broil for the last minute to get the top to brown a little)
 
Let cool slightly and serve with a dash of Tabasco if you like.

Roasted Baby Beet and Blood Orange Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

This recipe is adapted from the Girl & The Fig cookbook.  Jason and I and two good friends had an amazing lunch at the Girl & the Fig while vacationing in Sonoma last February, and the cookbook appeared in my easter basket!

This is a great winter salad, although instead of the watercress it calls for, which we simply couldn't get our hands on, we used arugula, and some gorgeous yellow beets.  It was a lovely start to the meal and Jason plated it beautifully.

ROASTED BABY BEET AND BLOOD ORANGE SALAD WITH CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

Makes 10 servings

6 large beets
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup champagne vinaigrette
3 blood oranges, segments only (supreme)
8 oz arugula (approximately)
salt and pepper
parmesan, thinly shaved

--Preheat oven to 350

--Place beets on top of tin foil, cover with the olive oil, fold the foil into packets and place on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour

--Cool enough to handle, then peel off the skins and slice the beets into thin slices

--Toss the arugula with the champagne vinaigrette

--On the plate, lay down 2-3 overlapping slices of beet with a pinch of salt and pepper

--Lay 3-4 blood orange segments along the top of the plate

--Top the beets with a mound of arugula and garnish with the shaved cheese

Arugula

The other beautiful sign of spring, fresh, local arugula.

My husband and I both love arugula, and I will admit we sometimes succumb at off times of the year and pick up the pre-packaged arugula from the grocery store.  In the middle of winter it seems to satisfy, but eating my first local batch last week, I was reminded of the futility of arugula at any other time of year.

The co-op was selling arugula from City Farm in Chicago.  A simple salad of arugula dressed with a dash of oil, lemon and salt was all I needed.  I felt like I had never tasted anything so fresh. 

The only way we'll eat even more locally is when we harvest the arugula I have sprouting on the dining room window sill!