Asparagus Chard & Cherry Tomato Frittata

Asparagus Chard Tomato Frittata

I admit that frittatas are my go-to dish for breakfasts and lunches when I am serving a group of people. Nobody seems to be tired of them, in fact, they always seem to be enjoyed. I was bringing breakfast up to my parents house for a very sunny Mothers day, homemade scones, turkey bacon, and of course frittata. 

5 Reasons Frittata is Awesome:

1: Cooked and served in the same pan.

2: Equally delicious when hot, cold or room temp.

3: Travels well to gatherings.

4: Versatile, almost any veggies go into it.

5: Even frozen veggies, and you cant tell!

Also two things I aways have in the house are eggs and veggies. Once mastered they aways come out perfect, so it is a no brainer to put them together. Sometimes I make them for the two of us for dinner, and it is a good way to use up leftovers too.

A secret is to cook all the water out of the veggies first. Soggy sautéed veggies equals a soggy frittata. I find when I use frozen veggies they have much less water and this is very easy.

Asparagus Chard & Cherry Tomato Frittata

drizzle of olive oil
handful of sliced mushrooms
pinch of salt
bunch of Swiss chard or other leafy greens sliced in skinny ribbons
6-7 fresh farm eggs
1/2 cup water or milk
6-8 cooked asparagus (thaw and dry if using frozen)
cherry tomatoes
cheddar cheese, sliced thin

I use a 8" cast iron skillet, it holds the heat well and the bottom never burns. An oven proof non stick pan would be ok. Cook the mushrooms in olive oil and a pinch of salt on high heat so they soften and release their juices. Throw in the ribbons of swiss chard. I find frozen chard, spinach or kale are really handy here. Put them frozen right into the pan.) Cook the greens and mushrooms so they wilt, and then keep cooking until any collected water in the pan is dried up. Turn the heat to low.

drizzle in olive oil and stir is around so the pan has a thin gloss of oil, this helps keep things from sticking. Arrange the greens so they cover all the pan, no need to press them down or make a fuss, the point is to have them scattered all over.

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the water or milk, a good pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Beat the eggs very well with a fork or fancy egg mixing gadget. Pour the well beaten eggs over the greens. If necessary use a fork to move the greens so the beaten egg is evenly everywhere, but don't disturb the bottom very much, ok. Keep the heat on low.

The top of the frittata allow for making pretty patterns if you want. Scatter asparagus and cheddar cheese on the top of the eggs, and place the raw cherry tomatoes on top also.

Step away for about 7 minutes, the eggs cook slowly from the bottom up. And it will be finished in the broiler. When the egg at the edges has set, and steady tiny bubbles come up in the center take a look, you will be able to tell the egg has set in the lower 2/3 of the pan. The upper part will still be liquid.

Turn on the broiler in your oven. When it is hot, put the frittata under it to cook. It is smart to stay close as this can go fast or need to be spun around a few times. So babysit the broiler for this part. Allow the top to cook, first it will set and the eggs will be cooked but pale, then the cheese will start to bubble (awesome) and the top will turn dark golden brown in parts (awesome).

Remove it from the broiler when it looks delicious. If you are worried about the eggs being cooked through, stick the tip of a knife into the center and pull back so you can see if it is still wet. Real wet eggs can go back onto the heat (either broiler, oven or stovetop) for some more time.  If the eggs are just a little wet let it sit for 5 minutes and they will finish cooking all on their own.