Knowing that The Man would be working at least part of the day, I wanted to pick something simple for brunch so that I didn't spend all morning in the kitchen cooking. I love being in the kitchen, but not when time with family is at a premium, as I knew it would be today. In addition to this, The Man and I do Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet a couple of times of year as a cleanse of sorts, and we happen to be in the tail end of that, so I knew I wouldn't be baking any sweets. A frittata seemed like an obvious choice. It's a favorite around here, and it's super simple. I picked up some leeks, bell pepper and shisto peppers yesterday at the farmers' market to accompany the basil from our herb garden and the beautiful Sungold and cherry tomatoes that the girl brought home from her time at Farm Camp. It seems like anything savory can be added to a frittata without fail...so far.
Father's Day Frittata
Serves 4-8
Preheat Oven Broiler
1 cup leeks, chopped and washed
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
3 fresh shisto or serrano (not too hot) peppers, seeded and minced
Fresh basil, 1 tbsp minced, and several leaves for topping
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided in half
1 tsp canola oil
1 tbsp butter
12 eggs
1/2 cup cream
6 cherry and/or Sungold tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper to taste
Add canola oil to 12" cast iron skillet, or non-stick skillet that can withstand broiler heat. Heat oil over medium heat and add leeks, green bell pepper and shisto peppers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sautee until tender (about 5 minutes). While the veggies are sauteeing, whisk the eggs and cream in a medium bowl. Add a bit of salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
When the veggies are done sauteeing, add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the egg/cream mixture. Stir slowly for the next 2 minutes or so, scraping down the sides to make sure the eggs aren't getting baked to the sides of the skillet. Mix in the minced basil and allow to cook on low/medium heat without stirring for about a minute. While it is cooking, add whole basil leaves and tomato halves to the top. Sprinkle the second 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese across the top.
Remove from stove top and place in broiler for 3-5 minutes, checking frequently to make sure that you get a nice golden (not burnt) color on the top. When the top is a nice golden color, remove from the oven and let sit for 5-6 minutes, so it can firm up in the middle. Once firm, slice and serve.