Squash and Kale Frittata

 

I’m still in a rut of sorts, I guess. No post for days and days. I finally get something simple and seasonal and delicious on the table and it’s still more days and days until I can write it up. Still, for all its lateness and simplicity this frittata with butternut squash and kale is nothing to be ashamed of.

I based this on a recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine, but the original recipe had more eggs and sweet potatoes instead of squash. I pared the number of eggs to four, since I’ve had success making quick frittatas that way and I just didn’t have the energy to mess with things too much. I really think sweet potatoes and winter squash can be used almost interchangeably with some variation in cooking times and slight flavor changes. (Usually sweet potatoes are sweeter than squash in my experience.) The kale was a cinch to acquire, since there’s still some alive in my garden despite the many frosty nights.

 

After selecting my seasonal ingredients, I simply held to basic frittata theory and all was well. Once my onions, squash and kale were cooked, I poured over an egg mixture flavored with Dijon mustard. I like to partially cook the eggs in the pan, then put the pan under the broiler, but not right up to the broiler. I think I originally did this in hopes of causing less stress on my nonstick pan, but I like the way the frittata “bakes” a good distance from the broiler as well. Of course I wasn’t putting this in the oven at all until I sprinkled it with a generous portion of feta cheese.

You could really vary this simple dish many, many ways, even using leftover roasted vegetables or roasted vegetables and sausage or any kind of cooked greens. I was pleasantly surprised by the combination of flavors in this particular variation. Squash and kale, perhaps both being autumnal in nature, complement each other well. I added a chile pepper for extra punch, but you wouldn’t have to if you don’t like it. The subtle zing of the Dijon mustard is quite nice enough to enhance the dish without any added spice.

 

No, I’m not ashamed of this dish at all. For its somewhat rustic simplicity, it’s quite fabulously flavored, nourishing and satisfying. With any luck, this quick fix will get me out of the doldrums caused by workday weariness and darkening days so I can post about more good stuff more often!

Winter Squash and Kale Frittata with Feta

Based on a recipe in Vegetarian Times magazine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 medium chile pepper, minced
12 ounces winter squash (I used butternut), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon coarse salt, divided
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 large curly kale leaves
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
 
1. Heat the oil in an oven-proof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes, or until softened and beginning to brown. Add the minced chile pepper and cook about 1 minute more.

2. Add the squash, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to the onion mixture. Cook, turning occasionally until the squash is softened, but still firm enough to hold its shape, about 20-25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, combine the eggs, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, milk and Dijon mustard. Whisk together until lightly beaten and well combined. Set aside.

4. Preheat the broiler and place a rack just above the middle of the oven. (I like to heat the frittata from above, but not place the pan so close to the broiler.) Remove the thick stems from the kale and discard. Finely chop the leaves. Add to the squash mixture when the squash is done. Cook until the kale is well-wilted, about 3-5 minutes.

5. Pour the egg mixture over the squash mixture, keeping the squash mixture in an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring just a little and gently, until the egg is set around the edges of the pan. The middle should still be runny. Evenly distribute the feta cheese over the top of the frittata.

6. Place the frittata in the oven and bake (with the broiler) for 8-10 minutes until the egg is firm throughout and the frittata is lightly golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings.

 

Other recipes like this one: Potato and Bacon Frittata, Zucchini and Mint Frittata with Tomatoes on Top

One year ago: Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting, Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Cranberry Walnut Cornbread

Potato Frittata

I wish I could say this was a spontaneous dish made with lingering leftovers and some other things I just happened to have on hand, a great breakfast that I threw together with what I had laying around, the equivalent of a fabulous special occasion gown that you just brush off as, “Oh, this old thing?” It should have been, but it wasn’t. I planned this potato frittata in advance.



It all started with an abundance of potatoes (more bounty from our CSA) and an old podcast of The Splendid Table. Lynne Rossetto-Kasper was teaching a caller, step by step, how to make a Spanish-style frittata (or tortilla as it is known in Spain), and it made me hungry. I’ve made frittata before, such as this Zucchini Frittata back when zucchini was in style (now it’s so three months ago). This one, I would make with a bed of fried potatoes with bacon, green onions, and cheese. And so, a few days ahead, I boiled some extra potatoes when we were having mashed potatoes for dinner, and I went shopping for the bacon and onions.




I used all the same techniques as I did in the Zucchini Frittata, except that I first cooked the bacon, rendering the fat, some of which I used to cook the potatoes. I also used one less egg, which was due to bad memory and lack of record checking more than anything else. In hindsight, perhaps the added bacon and bacon fat may have made up for the missing egg, at least as far as fat, calories, and life span go. You could skip the bacon and just fry the potatoes in oil or butter.

This really could be a spontaneous dish, depending on what you have in abundance or left over. You could use leftover cooked pasta or vegetables in place of the potatoes. I’m even wondering how good leftover Roasted Vegetables would be. While we had this for breakfast, it really is appropriate for any meal. It is quite inexpensive and could be a last minute dish. Unexpected company? Don’t panic, just whip up a frittata with leftovers and you can greet the oohs and ahhs over your genius with, “What? This old thing?”

Potato and Bacon Frittata Recipe
Consider boiling, baking or roasting extra potatoes next time you serve them, and keep them on hand for quick frittatas.

3 strips thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
3 medium cooked potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
4 eggs
¼ cup milk
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 green onions, finely chopped
¾ cup shredded Colby-Jack or other easy-melting cheese, divided
2 tablespoons minced parsley

1. Cook the bacon in a 10-inch nonstick skillet with an oven-proof handle over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat from the pan.

2. Add canola oil to the pan. Add the potatoes and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook the potatoes over medium heat until they are golden brown. Stir or turn the potatoes occasionally to brown on all sides. This will take some time, perhaps 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, beat the eggs with the milk using a whisk or a fork until well blended. Stir in remaining ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, green onions, and ½ cup cheese. Crumble the bacon and stir that in also.

4. Preheat the broiler and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. When the potatoes are golden brown, reduce the heat under the pan to medium low. Add the egg mixture. Stir gently and cook until the eggs are set around the edges of the pan. (The middle will still be runny.)

5. Top the egg mixture with the remaining ¼ cup cheese and place under the broiler on the middle rack in the oven (this allows the frittata to be heated from the top, but not too intensely). Broil about 5 minutes or until the top is set and beginning to brown.

6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Allow to stand about 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Makes about 6 servings