Not Just Another Frittata Recipe

I realize I seem to post about frittatas pretty frequently.  Maybe I'm getting lazy.  Maybe I need to expand my culinary repertoire a bit and prepare something a little more challenging.  Or maybe I need to open up my own little cafe that serves homemade cheesecakes and frittatas.

Truth is, the frittata has come up more than once because they are relatively easy, and they lend themselves to being a clearing house for leftover ingredients hanging out in your fridge.  Usually, I chop a bunch of veggies and throw them into a skillet with some eggs and hope for the best.  (Which, lets be honest, is way more fun than following a recipe.)  This time around, I spotted an interesting recipe while cruising around Foodbuzz, and decided to give it a go, if for no other reason than it would be a great way of using up the bundles of asparagus occupying shelf space in the refrigerator.

The recipe I found comes from fellow foodie Ryan at The Gourmet Foodie Blog, which was adapted from a Williams-Sonoma recipe.  Here in the Tiny Kitchen, we have modified it yet again to eliminate that pesky (and painfully expensive) frittata pan and by changing a couple of ingredients to suit our tastes.  This frittata caught my eye because of the grilled asparagus spears nestled into the top of the egg, straight in a row like a little picket fence made of asparagus.  Plus, putting the words "goat cheese" in the title is an easy way to get my attention.

Instead of using the fancy frittata pan (which is basically a large skillet that locks together with a slightly smaller skillet), I used the standard non-stick skillet, which prevented me from being able to flip the frittata over half way through cooking in a epic display of hand/eye coordination, but whatever.  I don't need to show off.  Just keep an eye on it while it's in the oven to make sure the top doesn't burn, and you're golden.  

Here's how you get it done:

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients:

12 eggs

3 Tbs. finely chopped chives 

1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon

3 - 5 oz. cubed bacon or turkey bacon

1/2 tsp. salt, more to taste

fresh ground pepper

6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

2 bundles of asparagus, tough ends trimmed

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 - 3  tsp. olive oil

With one bunch of asparagus, saute the whole spears in 1 tsp. olive oil, until they are tender and a little charred.  Drain on a plate with a paper towel and set to the side.  Chop the other bunch of asparagus into 1/2 inch chunks.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, chives, tarragon, turkey bacon, salt and pepper.  Add the goat cheese and mix gently.  At this point, do not whisk because you want the cheese to remain chunky.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In your large skillet, saute the onion or leek with another 1 tsp. of olive oil.  remove from heat and add to egg mixture.  Pour all of the egg mixture into your large skillet and allow it to settle.  Place skillet into the pre-heated oven.  After about 15 - 20 minutes, the top of the frittata should be set, but not cooked through.  Settle the cooked asparagus spears parallel to one another in a row across the top of the frittata.  Return to the oven for another 10 - 15 minutes.  It will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the sides are golden brown.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

For a tasty salad like the one I made to accompany this new frittata, you'll need lettuce, strawberries, 2 oz. of goat cheese, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Slice the strawberries into rounds.  After washing the lettuce leaves, tear in half or slice into manageable pieces, say 1 to 1 1/2 inches or so.  In a salad bowl mix 1 Tbs. of olive oil with 1 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar.  (Use more dressing, if you like.  The ratio for oil to vinegar is about 1 to 1.)  Toss the lettuce and strawberries in with the dressing, and top with crumbled goat cheese.

Enjoy!

Travels to the Pacific Northwest, Part 2: Portland

After a brilliant couple of days in the Emerald City, Mrs. Rosewater and I caught a choo-choo train (barely) to the outpost of fugitives and refugees, Portland. Portland is truly one of my favorite cities, if for no other reason than it is home to the The Temple: The greatest book store in the entire world, a site of holy pilgrimage for bibliophiles the world over, Powell's Books. The main location in downtown Portland houses four stories of books covering an entire city block of literature-worshiping goodness, with specialized satellite locations spread throughout the city. One of these locations, nestled in the hip Hawthorn District, specializes in Home and Garden and Cooking books. It is here that I stumbled upon a used first-edition copy of Jaques Pepin's "La Technique". (I know, you were starting to wonder what exactly this babble about me geeking out over a bookstore has to do with food. Maybe you thought you were on the wrong blog?)

Portland seems to be the land of a million brew pubs. Like Starbucks in San Francisco, there seems to be at least one in every neighborhood. Not that this is a bad thing, especially because they all seem to craft their own unique, outstanding brews. One of these, just outside Portland in Troutdale, is the Powerhouse Pub & Theatre at the Edgefield. Now, Edgefield has an interesting past: Originally built as a poor farm, it was converted into a nursing home / sanitarium in the 1960's, and only recently converted into a hotel with restaurants, a brew pub, and an outdoor theatre. After sampling the fare at the brew pub (I recommend the fish and chips), we walked the perfectly manicured grounds, checked out the 32-hole pitch and putt golf course, and even a unique sculpture of Grateful Dead legend, Jerry Garcia.



Edgefield was a pretty cool place, and on another trip it might just be worth a stay at the hotel or at least a place to catch a show. But our true culinary destination was not a place that serves beer, or even dinner.



Ever since we saw an episode of "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain in the Pacific Northwest, I have been itching to visit the rogue bakers at Voodoo Doughnut. These outcast pastry makers create such madness as the Triple Chocolate Penetration, a chocolate doughnut with chocolate frosting and cocoa-puffs, the Voodoo Doughnut, a voodoo-doll shaped doughnut, complete with spike through the heart, and what is quite possibly the most addicting pastry in the universe, the Bacon Maple Bar. Yes, you read that right.



I won't say this doughnut changed my life, but... no, it actually changed my life. There are insufficient words to describe what this doughnut tastes like. You must try this doughnut at least once in your life. It was just so good that I needed, not just wanted, another one. Once you get the taste, you will never be the same. Ever.



Pictured with my new favorite food group are other Voodoo Doughnut creations such as the banana fritter with peanut butter and Chocolate, a cream-filled with chocolate frosting, and a crushed Oreo cookie doughnut.

Never underestimate the power of bacon.

Thanks to Mark, Kelli, and Mason for showing us such wonderful hospitality and a fantastic time in Portland. We can't wait to come back!

Baked Pear with Bleu Cheese and Bacon

In a rare moment of inspiration after watching an episode of Jacques Pepin on a lazy Saturday morning, I concocted these little treats and have been waiting to try them for a few weeks. Truthfully, I really wasn't sure if they would be any good. With so many strong flavors fighting for your attention, it may just be too much. But I had to try, if for no other reason than it gave me a reason to buy really good bleu cheese.

My first attempt at making these was not a complete failure, but it was pretty close. First, I did not cook them long enough. Second, I used the broiler instead of the oven, so they didn't cook from the right side. On the second attempt, I think I got it right, or I am at least getting closer. I am still not sure how to classify these. If they were to appear on the menu at a popular five-star restaurant, would you find them with the appetizers? Or with the desserts? I guess I will let you decide. I hope you try them, add your own flavors to the recipe, and have fun. I did. Here we go.

Baked Pear with Bleu Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients:
1 ripe pear, (be sure it's not too over ripe or squishy)
3 pieces of good quality bacon
4 - 5 Tablespoons of high quality crumbly bleu cheese
3 - 4 Tablespoons brown sugar

Fry the bacon, set aside to drain and cool. Once the bacon is cool, chop and crumble it into tiny bits. It's ok, go ahead and taste a few pieces. You deserve it.

Spoon the brown sugar into two brulee ramekins, spreading just enough to cover the bottoms. Peal the pears, and slice off the first 1/2 inch of the top and bottom. Halve the pear, and using a paring knife and small spoon, cut out the inner stem and seeds. Use the spoon to carve out the hole made by removing the seeds a little bit.

Place the pear halves in the ramekins, one in each. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and place into a 375 degree oven. Bake the pears for about 10 - 15 minutes, depending on softness of the pear. Once the brown sugar begins to liquefy and bubble, remove the pears from the oven.

Crumble the bleu cheese into the hole and trough left by the seeds and stem. Once again, go ahead and take a little taste of the cheese for yourself. I know. You're hungry.

Put the pears back into the oven for another 10 - 15 minutes. Check on them after the 10 minute mark. The brown sugar should continue to liquefy and the pears should soften. You will know they are done when the pears feel soft and forgiving when you squeeze them.

Once out of the oven, sprinkle the bacon crumbles over the top of the pears and bubbly brown sugar. Serve just out of the oven, while the brown sugar is still liquidy. Yes. Liquidy.



The flavors in this relatively simple dish are robust, but manage to mingle well. The sweet pear and brown sugar mix nicely with the tangy bleu cheese and salty bacon. It may not be something you make everyday, but I promise if you give a try, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy.

Comfort Food

Sometimes you get in a rut. Sometimes you feel uninspired. Sometimes, you just don't feel like cooking. For those times, when your creativity seems to have run dry and you feel no desire to deal with the challenges of having an incredibly small kitchen, you need the right recipe. And the right woman.

The woman, in my case, was my lovely wife, who's constant prodding finally got us back into the kitchen with a new recipe to try. The recipe we found after looking for something to excite our palettes and warm our bellies. I must admit, though, that while I am writing the blog about this dish, my wife did most of the cooking. I helped with chopping and prep, but she really did the bulk of the work. This is because, well, risotto scares me. Yep, that's right. I've tried it before, and it tends to come out like a salty rice pudding rather than the delicate, comforting dish we are all used to.

So, without further ado, here is the recipe that just might help get me back in the game and my head back into the kitchen. Oh, and by the way...it is frickin DELICIOUS!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH BACON AND SAGE

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups homemade or canned chicken broth, may need a small amount more
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon crushed sage leaves, adjust to taste
4 slices turkey bacon, cut into thirds - regular bacon can be used as well
2 medium shallots, minced or 1 small onion, chopped (approximately 1/4 cup)
2 cups diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups arborio rice or risotto rice
1/2 cup fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese - more if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat the broth in a saucepan under medium heat, keep warm. In another saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the sage and bacon. Saute for about 5 minutes until it becomes fragrant. Transfer the bacon and sage to a paper towel. Add shallots to the pan, stirring for 3-5 minutes, until softened. Add the squash and rice to cook, for about one minute. Ladle enough broth into squash and rice mixture to just cover the rice.




Here is where risotto gets tricky: Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until the broth is mostly absorbed. Add more broth and continue the process, adding and stirring, for about 25 minutes, until the rice is just tender. Now, be careful, if you add too much broth, the rice will keep absorbing it and it will become mush. As the broth gets absorbed by the rice, continue to taste the rice to check flavor and consistency. If you use all of the broth before the rice is cooked, add a little more at a time until the rice is done and the liquid is absorbed.

Once the rice is just this side of al dente, stir in the bacon, sage and cheese. For a tasty garnish, add some roasted garlic. Take a full head of garlic and chop off the top so you have removed the tips of each garlic clove. Place the head of garlic on a sheet of foil, and drizzle olive oil over it. Wrap tightly, and cook in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until it is light brown and fragrant. The garlic will be soft and very hot, so once it has cooled down a bit squeeze the cloves out of their skins into a small bowl. Mash the garlic into a thick paste, and spoon on top of your risotto.

Thank you to our friends at Recipetips.com for the great recipe. Enjoy!