Orange Flavored Shortcakes

In time for local strawberries, after trying several shortcake recipes, I've found one that will complement strawberries and whipped cream perfectly. In fact, these are so good, they stand alone, delicious enough for afternoon tea on the porch or the fire escape. If you need bypass surgery, this would be the wrong choice for dessert.  They're loaded with butter and heavy cream.  For serving, you'll whip cream (no sugar necessary) and slice fresh local berries.  When peaches come into season, slice and sugar them and voila! This recipe comes via one of the best food blogs you can read, Smitten Kitchen (you can click on my link), combined with her referenced recipe by Russ Parsons of the LA Times. If you omit the sugar and orange zest, you have a perfect cream biscuit for dinner. Parsons suggests that you can makes these into scones by throwing in nuts and dried fruit of your preference.  

You can buy coarse sugar at Dean and Deluca, 

Fairway or any candy making department of a hobby store.  

Orange Flavored Shortcakes

adapted from Russ Parsons and Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (I use unbleached)

3 Tbsp. sugar (2 1/2-5, depending upon how sweet you want your cakes. I use 5 because I like them sweet and because I don't sweeten the whipped cream or berries.)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. grated orange zest (1 large orange - be careful not to include the white pith)

6 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes (6-8, depending upon how buttery you want you cakes.  I use 8 because I can never have enough butter.)

2 hard-boiled egg yolks

3/4 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing (try to find heavy cream that isn't ultra-pasteurized.  it will whip up better.)

Coarse sugar for dusting (granulated sugar may be substituted)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375º F.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. 

Add the cold, cubed butter and the egg yolks and pulse together just until the mixture has the texture of moistened cornmeal.  You want there to be pieces of butter in the mixture about the size of peas.

Pour 3/4 cold heavy cream over the mixture and pulse 3 to 4 times, just until the dough is moistened.  It will not be a cohesive mass (that sounds gross) and you don't want it to be, or the shortcakes will be more like hard tack.  

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, just until you can pat it into a roughly round 6 to 7 inch circle.  Cut, with a very sharp knife (this is important, otherwise the sliced edges will 'glue' down and you won't have an evenly risen shortcake) into six wedges.  Brush tops lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar.

Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake until risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Turn the pan around halfway through to ensure even baking.  

Remove to a cooling rack.

For strawberries and assembly:

3 pints strawberries*, washed, hulled and quartered

2 Tbsp. sugar (optional)

1 Tbsp. orange juice

1 c. heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks (It is not necessary to sweeten the whipped cream. If you must, use confectioner's (10X) sugar, adding 1 tsp. at a time, to only slightly sweeten the cream.  The cream is a fat foil, a rounding out of the natural acid of the berry - it's a supporting role.)  The star of this show is the berry.

If the strawberries are very firm (and tart), toss them in sugar and juice about a half an hour before assembling the dessert. Don't refrigerate the berries unless you're holding them for a while.  They taste better at room temperature. 

With a sharp knife, split the shortcakes in half horizontally and set the tops aside.  Place the bottoms on dessert plates and heap strawberries over them  Spoon whipped cream generously over the berries and replace the shortcake tops. Serve immediately with any remaining whipped cream on the side.  

I have the nutritional details.  If you want the horrible news, write to me.  I'll send it to you.   

Strawberry Fields and The Beatles Forever

June is strawberry month at the Long Beach Farmers Market.

If you're a traditionalist, go with the shortcake recipe. If you like your berries with pound cake, make the pound cake.

The obvious solution is to make both.

Peace and Love,
Jane

Catalan Spinach

Now that you have pine nuts and currants in your larder for Swordfish, Sicilian style,

here's another Mediterraneanish recipe for spinach! You can find spinach at the Long Beach Farmer's Market now!  As always, ingredients that you should be able to purchase at the market are asterisked*. 

Choose spinach with thin stems.

But first, I have to share some good news and some bad news with you about spinach.  Here are some facts (source: the Wikipedia) to consider:

First, the good news:

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, opioid peptides called rubiscolins have also been found in spinach [where were they?]. It is a source of folic acid (Vitamin B₉), and this vitamin was first purified from spinach. To benefit from the folate in spinach, it is better to steam it than to boil it. Boiling spinach for four minutes can halve the level of folate.

Now the it wouldn't kill you to know this news:

To improve iron absorption, spinach should be eaten with foods that contain 

vitamin c.

Spinach loses much of its nutritional value with storage of more than a few days. While refrigeration slows this effect to about eight days, spinach will lose most of its folate and carotenoid content. This is worth considering when purchasing spinach out of season. If the product has been "in transit" (picked, cleaned, shipped and shelved) for more than one or two days it will need to be used almost immediately to have much nutritional benefit. This is in spite of the taste and appearance of the plant which may still seem fine.

Fresh spinach should be cleaned thoroughly and then can be stored loosely in an unsealed bag in the crisper tray of the refrigerator for a few days. Even at 4°C, spinach loses much of its nutritional value by eight days so for longer storage it should be fresh frozen, cooked and frozen or canned. Storage in the freezer can be for up to eight months.

And here's the bad news:

The oxalic acid contained in spinach can be harmful. About 10 pounds of spinach is fatal. [Don't quintuple my recipe.]

The oxalic acid contained in spinach is bad for cast iron pans and carbon steel

pans.

Spinach will turn black when cooked in such pans.

The oxalic acid contained in spinach can prevent your body from absorbing iron and

calcium and you will become anemic. [Isn't this ironic? We were always told that

spinach had iron and we should eat it to combat anemia. sigh]

Here's my angle:

Spinach has been around since the year 1.  

I can't remember reading any obit in the Times where cause of death was spinach.

If you have anemia, don't rely on spinach to bail you out.

Popeye was a cartoon.

If you're wondering why there are all kinds of weird indentations, don't look at me.  Blogger has issues today.

Catalan Spinach

Adapted from Janet Fletcher’s Fresh From the Farmer’s Market

The iron in spinach is absorbed only when combined with vitamin c.  Dried apricots have a small amount, but blood oranges have more, and will pair well with this dish. They're also gorgeous.  If you can't find blood oranges, use any orange.  In a bind? Use canned mandarin oranges. (they probably have no nutritional value, but they taste great and will look great too.)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. dried currants

2 Tbsp. pine nuts

1 1/2-2 lbs. fresh spinach*

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove of garlic*, minced

4 dried apricots, diced (I prefer organic, unsulphered)

1 blood orange, sections removed from skins

salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedure:

Plump the currants by placing them in a small bowl with warm water to cover and let them stand for up to 30 minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven to 325º F. and toast pine nuts on a cookie sheet until golden and fragrant, shaking the sheet occasionally to ensure even toasting, for about 8-12 minutes.  Cool.

Wash spinach well in sink with cold water, lifting it from the water.  Do this several times, if necessary, until completely clean.  Discard any thick stems and drain in a colander.

Place spinach in a large pot with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until leaves are just wilted, 3-5 minutes.

Drain in a sieve under cold running water.  Squeeze between your hands to remove excess moisture. 

Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over moderate heat. (Do not use cast iron or your spinach will turn black.) Add garlic and sauté until it begins to turn golden. Add spinach, tossing, to separate the leaves, coating them with the oil.  Add currants, pine nuts and dried apricots.  

Cook, stirring, until hot, about 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with orange sections.

serves 4 as a small side dish

what's the password?

now you know the password
atsa funny, I gotta haddock too.
swordfish is on the menu at blue heron kitchen

peace and love,
jane

Asparagus and Mushrooms Grilled and Swordfish (or Tuna), Sicilian Style with Tomato Sauce and Fresh Mint

Now that you have the password, you may proceed:

You can prepare a fantastic meal and get many of your ingredients at the Long Beach Farmer's Market, open every Wednesday from 10-6.  You can buy your fish, pasta sauce, pasta, bread and herbs at the market.  (Ingredients available at the market have an asterisk* next to them!)  Some other (not your run of the mill mainstream everyday) places to check out for ingredients that are in the hood: Bob's Natural Foods, Trader Joes, Wild By Nature. I'm a big fan of Fairway and I make pilgrimages regularly.  The Red Hook store is amazing, and there's a great art show on now on the water that's worth a visit.  (Click on the links!)

While everyone is firing up the barbeque and polishing their white shoes, here's an'anti-grill' alternative for swordfish or tuna.  This is one gorgeous Sicilian swordfish recipe from Nancy Silverton, whom I've always known as a pastry chef, most notably of Spago and Maxwell's Plum. But, don't let this recipe swallow your grill-joy. (Serve it alongside your burgers and dogs.) Alternatively, prepare it on a Wednesday or Thursday, after you buy a fresh gorgeous hunk of swordfish (or tuna) at the Long Beach Farmer's Market! 

Be sure to visit Papa Pasquale for sauce and pasta.  (You use prepared sauce for this recipe.) 

Get your Italian bread to sop it all up from Bread Alone.  

And there are plenty of fresh young veggies to choose from for both salad and side dishes.  

The red and green organic asparagus* are sweet and delicious. Dan said they'll probably be around for another week or two.  Don't miss them. You'll dream about them until next spring.

Steam them or grill(!) them (put a little oil on them and grill them, turning them often until they're starting to bubble and they look so good, you can't stand it anymore and you have to take one off and eat it.) And if you don't have a grill, put them on a sheet pan, a little damp, drizzle a little oil on them and coat them evenly. (I sometimes scatter fresh thyme over the spears and some salt and freshly ground pepper too.) Oven roast them at 350º, shaking the sheet pan to turn them until they're done to your preference.)

I oven roast my shitake mushrooms* with the smallest amount of olive oil.  Be careful to not over-roast them, or they'll taste like rubberbands.

Buy some freshly made cheese* for your cocktail hour - and a few pickles* couldn't hurt.

Sicilian Swordfish with Tomato Sauce and Fresh Mint

Adapted from Nancy Silverton's book A Twist of the Wrist

(You can get used copies of this book for less than $3.00 + shipping.)

(Never grate parmesan cheese over Italian dishes with fish.  It's wrong, it's gross, it's anti-cuisine.)

Ingredients:

4 6-oz. swordfish steaks*, about 1" thick (or tuna*, if swordfish isn't your cup of tea)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

lemon, for squeezing over the fish

1 generous Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint* leaves.

(for the sauce)

1/4 c. pine nuts

1 pint (or a 26 oz. jar, or about 2 cups) marinara* or pasta sauce* of choice

32 small pitted black olives

3 Tbsp. capers

1/4 c. dried currants 

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced (about 2 Tbsp.)

4 (good quality) anchovy fillets

generous pinch of crushed red pepper

Procedure:

Adjust oven rack to middle position.  Preheat oven to 325º F. (after, you, will be increasing oven temp. to 500º F.)

Toast pine nuts at 325º, on a baking sheet, for about 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally for even toasting, until lightly browned and fragrant.  Set aside, and reserve 1 Tbsp. for serving.)

NOW, increase oven temperature to 500º F.

Combine pasta sauce, olives, capers, 3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts, currants, garlic, anchovies and crushed red pepper in a large ovenproof skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, just to warm it. 

Pat swordfish steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. 

Place steaks in the skillet on top of the sauce and drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over each piece of fish.  Place skillet in oven for 6-8 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes apart easily when pierced with a sharp knife, but is still moist.

Lift steak out of sauce and place on plate.  Stir the sauce to incorporate the juice from the fish. Spoon the sauce over the fish and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each steak and sprinkle with chopped mint and the reserved toasted pine nuts.

Serves 4

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
To Honor the Memory of My Friend, Regina Ippolito

Adapted from Regina Ippolito by Blue Heron Kitchen

Regina

My colleague and friend, Regina, engendered gorgeousness. And Regina was a champion baker. Everything she baked was beautiful and tasted of her gentle spirit, kindness and love. Regina shared this recipe with me. There were many Valentine's Days when I would discover a beautifully wrapped treat on my desk from Regina. Her Linzer heart cookies were to live for, but these are, well, chocolate. Make these for Valentine's Day and for every day. Regina's recipes will be one of her legacies.

Use best quality ingredients (always). I've used Droste, Valrhona, Scharffen Berger and Guittard  cocoas. Whatever cocoa you use, be sure it's high end. It matters. European style butter is slightly higher in fat content. If you can find it, use it. If you can't, and you live in the U.S., try to find a locally made butter (Kate's is great!). The Irish butter they sell in Trader Joe's is also good. When all else fails, buy Land O Lakes. (All unsalted.) 

I've used Callebaut semi-sweet pastilles (little chocolate chips), Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips (wow!), Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips and if you really want to pull out all the stops, chop your own chunks. Try Jacques Torres' baking discs (available at his shops in NYC or online). Or, chop from a chunk of good quality chocolate (Valrhona!) 

These are simple to make and are so delicious. These will become a chocolate standard in your recipe box. I'm so happy to share this recipe with you!

Truc: Always toast your nuts. Put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast them at 350º for about 6-9 minutes, or until you just begin to detect a wonderful scent! This is when the oils start to surface from the nuts. These oils will easily infiltrate your biscotti (and other baked goods.)Take care to not burn them.  If you burn them, throw them out. Be sure to cool them completely.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight jar. You can toss them into salads, cereal or yogurt. You'll be amazed at the difference! 

Love and Peace,

Jane

Double Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour

½ c. Dutch process cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

6 tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature (European style recommended)

1 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs, size large

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. walnuts, toasted, cooled, chopped

¾ c. (5-6 oz.) good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips  

10X ("confectioner's sugar" .. but you know this already) for dusting loaves prior to baking

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350°F., line large baking sheet with parchment or Silpat

In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and whisk together.  

In Kitchen Aid or electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  

Add eggs and vanilla and beat.  

Stir in dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to over mix, add walnuts and chocolate.

Form into two slightly flattened loaves, each about 12” long and 2” wide.  (It's easy if your hands are a little damp.) With a fine strainer, dust generously with 10X sugar.  Bake loaves for 25 to 35 minutes, or until slightly firm to the touch.  Cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325° (if you don't feel confident ... but if you do, leave it at 350º and just be 'vigilant'. If the nuts begin to darken, you've gone too far).

Cut diagonally into 3/4” slices.  Arrange biscotti on baking sheet and bake until drier, approximately 10 minutes.  Cool completely on rack before storing between layers of waxed or parchment paper in a well sealed container. (These freeze very well!)

Yield: approx. 2 to 2 ½ dozen

  

Farmer's Market Mushroom and Eggplant Stew

Farmer's Market Mushroom and Eggplant Stew

Blue Heron Kitchen

Ingredients that are available at the Long Beach Farmer's Market (open all day, every Wednesday on Kennedy Plaza, next to the LIRR) are followed by an "*" asterisk. 

This (and other things in life) gets better the next day.

Serving Suggestions:

Chop lots of fresh parsley* for good taste and beautiful color.

It's great hot or cold.  

It makes a fabulous filling for an omelet* (eggs!).

Great as a 'small plate' or a side dish. 

Something to lay a nice piece of fish* upon.

Ingredients:

1 lb. eggplant* (the smaller, the better) cut into 1" cubes (leave skin on)

10 oz. baby bella mushrooms*, stems removed, whole if they're small or halved if large (or substitute mushrooms that you love)

8 oz. shitake mushrooms*, stems removed and sliced into 1/2" slices

2 med. cloves garlic*, smashed (left whole)

1 large imported bay leaf

1 tsp fresh thyme*

1/2 cup coarsely chopped, San Marzano plum tomatoes - add juice as needed

1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley* 

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Optional:  2 dozen pearl onions* (blanched/peeled) or a small red or 'sweet' onion* cut into chunks 

Procedure:

Heat good quality olive oil in heavy saucepan (I used enameled cast iron), large enough to just hold these ingredients - 1 1/2-2 qts. - with the crushed garlic in the olive oil.

Let the garlic cook in the oil, releasing its own oil, but don't let it get brown.   (If you're using onions, now is the time to add them and cook them until they're translucent).

Add the eggplant and brown it well over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to lose some water. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring and cooking over medium-low heat until the stew begins to reduce.  If it seems too dry, add some juice from the tomatoes - or add more tomatoes.

Turn flame very low and cook, covered, until desired consistency, an hour or more.

Rhubarb Streusel Loaf

Rhubarb Streusel Loaf

Adapted from The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread

It’s spring, and there’s rhubarb at the market. Ingredients that you can purchase at the market are followed by an “*” asterisk.

Choose narrow, firm stalks, and stay away from the leaves, which are poisonous. Unlike many rhubarb recipes, which often pair this distinctive vegetable with other flavors, most notably with strawberries, this moist, delicate and fragrant loaf pays homage to the unique and distinctive flavor of fresh rhubarb. Serve this sweet and tart bread, sliced, with some sweet, French butter and if you like, perhaps, a little jam*.

What doesn’t get devoured the day it’s baked, wrap well in plastic and store in the refrigerator. This also freezes well.  Wrap in plastic, then foil.  (Label!) Pull this out when you crave a taste of spring - if you can wait that long.

Ingredients:

3 ½ c. fresh rhubarb* (approx. 21 oz. or 600 grams)

Streusel Topping:

¾ c. Old-fashioned rolled oats (I use organic, but this isn't essential - it's just better)

1/3 c. + 3 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 c. + 4 Tbsp. light brown sugar

¾ tsp. kosher salt

6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, cold, diced (I use European style butter which is 83% butterfat.  Some brands are "Plugra" and "Cabot".  I love "Cabot". You can buy either at Fairway.)

Loaf Batter:

6 large eggs*, room temperature

1 ¼ c. (10 oz.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. + 1 Tbsp. whole milk (I use organic milk - but you don't have to.  I prefer it.)

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 ½ c. Old-fashioned rolled oats (Organic ... see above note)

4 ¼ c. unbleached all—purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg (preferably, freshly ground)

1/4 tsp. mace

¾ c. golden raisins

(It's so easy to grate your own nutmeg, and it makes a huge difference. You can buy whole nutmeg at Fairway or Penzey's,which used to be somewhere in the Midwest, but is now all over the place, including Grand Central Market, Huntington, LI, and Norwalk, CT. You can mail order from them, and they have the BEST storage jars for about $1.00! If you don't know about Penzey's and you hate rhubarb, you'll be happy that you read this recipe. And if you grate your own nutmeg, you'll never buy 'ground nutmeg' again, guaranteed.)

Procedure:

Prepare two 9 x 5 loaf pans or the equivalent capacity of smaller loaf pans with either release spray (canola), or for a finer finish, melt unsalted butter, and using a pastry brush, coat the pans. Truc: For a lovely color and finish, flour the pans by sprinkling a small amount of flour in each pan and tapping it around and turning it upside down over the sink and giving it a good zetz against your palm or side of the sink to remove excess flour.  

Preheat oven to 350º and move oven rack to center of the oven

Wash, dry and trim the rhubarb and cut into small pieces, about ½ inch long. If the stalks are thick, then halve them down the middle. Set aside.

Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, combine all ‘streusel topping’ ingredients, adding the cold butter and mixing it together with fingertips until small, pea-sized pieces are created. Work quickly so the butter stays cold. Place prepared streusel topping in fridge while you prepare the batter for the loaves.

In a separate, large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace. Set aside.

In the bowl of a Kitchen Aid or electric mixer (or by hand), beat together: eggs, melted butter, sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Stir in the rolled oats and let soak for 5 to 10 minutes to moisten.

Add wet ingredients to dry and fold in gently until almost moistened. Add rhubarb and raisins, mixing until just incorporated, going the extra mile to not overmix. (You'll thank me when everyone kvells about how light your loaf is.)

Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and spread the streusel topping between the loaf pans, (Spread it over the batter, otherwise, the part that isn’t close to the batter won't adhere well to the loaf…but don’t make yourself crazy.)

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, rotating the loaves once after 30 minutes. A toothpick or cake tester, inserted into the center should come out clean, and the tops should be golden.

Baked loaves should rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then carefully turn them out from their pans and let them cool completely before slicing them, or the slices will break apart when cut (which wouldn’t be the end of the world).

Spinach, Asparagus and Shitake Mushroom Frittata

Spinach, Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata

Inspired by Suvir Saran’s “Mixed Vegetable Frittata”, American Masala

This recipe was adapted from my friend, Suvir Saran’s cookbook, American Masala.  If you love Indian cooking, get it.  If you don’t, then this is the book that will change your mind.  There is nothing remotely “Indian” about this Frittata except for perhaps, method (the frying the herbs part).

(Suvir doesn’t know I’m telling you this: Go to Suvir's and his partner, Hemant’s gorgeous restaurant, dévi, on 18^th Street.  The food is delicious (ask me, and I’ll recommend what to eat), the service is great, the colored glass chandeliers are magical, and if you taste Hemant’s tandoori grilled prawns or lamb chops or happen to have his fried quail, you'll believe you’ve died and gone to sacred cow heaven.  You may never return to 6th Street.)  

So many of the ingredients in this recipe are available at the Kennedy Plaza Farmer’s Market.  I’ve asterisked everything that you can get at the market (you may have to wait for a while until tomatoes come into season.)

As the seasons shift and different vegetables come into the market, you can change combinations.  I love roasted potatoes combined with spinach.  Try sautéing a mixture of peppers before you cook the spinach.    

This frittata can be served hot from the oven, or can be made in advance and served at room temperature.  So, it's a great buffet or 'company' dish.

Serve it with a big basket of rolls from Bread Alone.*

Ingredients:

1 large tomato*, sliced into 5-6 rounds

¼-1/3 c. mixed fresh herbs*, including basil, parsley, thyme and oregano  (or just basil leaves)

6 large eggs* at room temperature

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 shallot*, peeled and thinly sliced

4-8 scallions* or spring onions*, to taste (white part only), thinly sliced

8 oz. asparagus*, tough ends removed and cut into two-inch lengths

6 oz. shitake mushrooms*, sliced

8 oz. fresh spinach*, triple washed and dried

8 oz. fresh unsalted mozzarella* (if you can’t find ‘unsalted’, reduce salt by ½ tsp), sliced into rounds

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 425º F. 

Lay tomato slices on a paper towel-lined plate and cover with another paper towel and gently press to absorb moisture.  Set aside.

 

Roughly chop the fresh herbs and set aside. (N.B. If you prefer, limit fresh herbs to just thyme and basil, or just basil alone.)

 

Whisk eggs, ½ tsp. kosher salt, ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper and ½ cup of the Parmiggiano cheese and set aside.

 

Heat olive oil with the pepper flakes and ¼ tsp more of ground pepper and if using herbs other than basil, add them and sauté until fragrant and slightly ‘fried’ in a heavy oven-proof skillet (cast iron works well), about 2 minutes. 

 

Add scallions and shallot and cook until just starting to soften, about 1 minute.

 

Add mushrooms and another ½ tsp. of kosher salt, sautéing over medium heat until tender and completely cooked. 

 

Add asparagus and spinach.  Cook until the spinach wilts, about 3 to 3 ½ minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated, stirring often, anywhere up to 6 minutes or so.

Turn heat down to medium and pour eggs over vegetables and cook until you see the eggs are beginning to set up over the vegetables. Arrange the mozzarella slices on top and sprinkle either the basil or the mixed herbs on top of the sliced mozzarella.  Top the cheese with the slices of tomato, and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top of the frittata. 

 

Bake until the top is browned and puffy, 15-20 minutes. 

 

Remove from the oven and slice and serve immediately with freshly ground pepper and fleur de sel.  Or, serve at room temperature. Serves 4.