Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [60]
8 slices bacon (about 6 ounces), coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups cooked peeled russet potatoes cut into ½ inch dice (see Note)
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 eggs
Sage Frittata with Charred Tomatoes and Curly Parmesan
Frittatas, Italian open-faced omelets, often pose a dilemma. By the time the top and middle of the frittata are cooked through, the eggs on the bottom are usually overcooked. For a moist frittata, shake the eggs up a bit by stirring them, gently allowing the heat to reach all of the eggs at once. Stop stirring when curds begin to form—you don’t want scrambled eggs. Toppings are sprinkled on top like a pizza, and the frittata is placed under the broiler to heat the toppings and set the top.
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Preheat the broiler. Lightly brush a large, rimmed baking sheet with olive oil or coat with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the tomatoes in one layer, skin-side up, if possible. Broil for 3 to 6 minutes or until the tomatoes are lightly charred.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper in a large bowl for 1 ½ minutes or until the eggs are well blended and very frothy.
Melt the butter in a medium, nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage and garlic and sauté, stirring with a heat-resistant rubber spatula until the butter just begins to turn pale brown.
Immediately pour in the eggs and stir, scraping the bottom and sides with the spatula. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the eggs begin to form curds but are still very moist. Remove from the heat and top with the charred tomatoes.
Place the frittata under the broiler and broil for 1 ½ to 3 minutes or until the top is dry and set but the center is still moist. Run the spatula under the frittata to release and slide onto a large plate. Pile the Parmesan curls over the frittata and cut into wedges to serve.
NOTE
To seed the tomatoes, cut each in half crosswise and gently but firmly squeeze each half until the seeds pop out. Cut the tomatoes into large enough pieces so they will char slightly but still retain some of their shape during cooking.
SERVES 4
2 tomatoes, seeded (see Note) and cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
8 eggs
¼ cup half-and-half
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 garlic clove, minced
3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved into large curls using a vegetable peeler
Golden Spinach Strata
The secret ingredient in this breakfast casserole is butternut squash. The shredded squash blends into this egg puff and looks almost like cheese. It lends a slightly sweet, nutty flavor to this fall dish. I like to use a challah loaf here because the rich egg bread is firm enough to hold its shape during baking, but is light enough to complement the other ingredients. Look for an aged Gouda cheese, such as Mona Lisa. It lends a buttery, caramel note to the dish. If you can’t find it, Gruyère is also good. You’ll need to assemble this dish the night before.
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Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish or coat with nonstick cooking spray. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, toss the challah and squash together in a large bowl and arrange in the baking dish. Scatter the browned onion and the spinach over the bread mixture. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until blended and smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, salt, and pepper until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and vegetables. Make sure all of the bread mixture is moistened, pressing on the bread cubes if necessary to coat with the egg mixture. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic and let the strata sit at room temperature while heating