Eatwell Recipe 22: Frittata With Chevre, New Potatoes & Herbs

A frittata is a half-sauteed, half-baked (in a good way) omelette of Italian provenance. One of the best things about frittatas is that there are so many yummy possible permutations. Onions, peppers, spinach, chard, potatoes, fresh tomatoes, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, ham, sausage, gruyere, chevre, cheddar, parmesan -- with options like these, how could you really go wrong?

Since we received a half dozen pasture-raised eggs, several fresh onions, and a bag of new potatoes in our produce box this week, a frittata seemed like a good way to use up several things in one hearty meal. I kept this frittata fairly simple but you should feel free to adapt the basic recipe below by adding or substituting other ingredients.

Although I baked this frittata in a pie dish, it is easiest to cook the dish from start to finish in a frying pan or skillet (saves you the washing of one more dish) so the directions below are for that preparation. A frittata makes a great lunch but is also hearty enough for dinner if served with some salad and bread or another side dish or two. And it's tasty hot or cold.

Frittata With Chevre, New Potatoes & Herbs
Serves 4

Ingredients

* 6 eggs, beaten
* 3 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed
* 1 medium onion, sliced or diced (up to you)
* 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled (I used a delicious herb chevre made by Cypress Grove)
* 2 tsps fresh herbs, rinsed and dried (I used thyme, sage and marjoram but dill and parsley would be tasty, too)
* 1 tsp sea salt
* Several grinds of black pepper
* 2 tsps olive oil

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes until just tender when pricked with a fork. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized frying pan or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium flame (you will be baking the frittata in this dish so be sure to choose one that is both oven-proof and large enough to hold all the ingredients.) Sautee the onions in the oil until translucent.

3. Cut the boiled potatoes into 1-inch cubes and mince the fresh herbs. Beat the eggs in a bowl, throwing in the minced herbs and seasoning with the sea salt and pepper (use enough salt to season the whole dish.)

4. Add the potatoes to the onions in the skillet and stir well to coat all the pieces with oil. Turn the flame down to low and add the eggs and goat cheese to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until the bottom is set. Transfer the skillet to the oven and brown it under the broiler for 3 or so minutes (keep it at a bit of a distance from the flame if you can) until the top is set -- be sure to keep a close eye on this since things can burn very quickly under the broiler. If your frittata mixture is deeper than about one inch, you may want to bake it in the oven for a 5-10 minutes before you finish it off with a minute or two of broiling.

5. Remove from broiler and allow to cool slightly then cut into generously sized wedges, and serve.

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Eatwell Recipe 21: Fresh Peach Cobbler With Biscuit Topping

We've been receiving a paper bag full of fresh peaches in our produce box for the past few weeks. These sweet, fuzzy treats usually get devoured within a few hours of entering our home. But this week I set a bunch aside for baking as I'd been hankering for a peach dessert.

I found this cobbler recipe in a Cook's Illustrated magazine several years ago and have never once been disappointed by it, nor has anyone I've made it for... It's simple, summery and scrumptious (how's that for alliteration?) The biscuit topping is crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, topped with a little bit of sugar and a perfect complement to the sweet, juicy fruit filling.

Fresh Peach Cobbler With Biscuit Topping
Serves 6

Ingredients

Filling

* 2 1/2 pounds peaches , ripe but firm (6 to 7 medium)
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* pinch of salt

Biscuit Topping

* 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon table salt
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
* 1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. For the filling: Peel peaches (see note), then halve and pit each. Using small spoon, scoop out and discard dark flesh from pit area. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup of drained juice (discard extra), cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt together in small bowl. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around edges, about 10 minutes.

3. For the topping: While peaches are baking, in food processor, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter over and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with rubber spatula until cohesive dough is formed. (Don't overmix dough or biscuits will be tough.) Break dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.

4. To assemble and bake: After peaches have baked 10 minutes, remove peaches from oven and place dough mounds on top, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound with portion of remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack until warm, about 20 minutes; serve.

Loquat Chutney - Chinese Fruit Meets Indian Flavor

We're in the thick of loquat season here in Berkeley. Many of the loquat trees are so laden with these exotic orange fruits that they look as if they might actually topple over.

Since I lived on the east coast for 29 years without ever once encountering a loquat tree, I realize that many of you may be wondering what on earth a loquat is... If so, loquats are a delicious fruit that are native to southeastern China but that also seem to flourish here in California. They have a juicy flesh that is somewhat firm and very sweet. Their flavor is hard to describe but I personally think it falls somewhere between an apple and an apricot, if you can imagine that. Each fruit contains two big, beautiful seeds that look like little balls of polished wood).

Although it is extremely easy to forage for loquats here in North Berkeley, my brother and his family actually have a big loquat tree growing behind their house which makes it even easier to pick them.

We recently got together to make a big batch of loquat chutney. The fruits are a perfect choice for this spicy, sweet treat. My adorable niece Lila helped pick the loquats and did her share of eating the fruits, too, as her sticky little face can attest.

The seeds do make this task a bit more time-consuming but many hands will make the work go quickly so this is a good thing to do with friends. I recommend making a big batch and canning it since a jar of loquat chutney makes a very nice gift.

I made a special label for my jars (move over Martha Stewart...) which you can see below and are also welcome to use for your own jars if you like. I took my inspiration from a beautiful Chinese painting of a loquat tree and bird from the time of the Song Dynasty (though my version is done in colored pencil.) For more detailed instructions on how to can foods, read my "how to" post here or check out Sunset magazine's nice online tutorial.

Loquat Chutney

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds loquats -- washed, de-seeded and cut into small pieces
* 1 pound onion -- chopped
* 1/2 pound apples, grated
* 1 pound sugar
* 2 teaspoons mustard
* 2 teaspoons sea salt
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1 tbsp mustard seeds, crushed
* 1 tablespoon molasses
* 2 tbsps fresh ginger, peeled and julienned into thin strips
* 1 pint (2 cups) apple cider vinegar
* 2 cups water
* 1/4 cup raisins or currants

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook gently until soft and a good color, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours, stirring regularly to prevent the chutney from sticking or burning.

2. Boil the canning jars (1/2 pint , 1 pint, etc., the size is up to you) and lids to sterilize them (you can also sterilize them in your dish washer if you prefer.)

Pour the hot chutney into the hot jars, being sure to leave half an inch of headroom in each jar.

Drop the sterilized lids on, cover with the rings and tighten until well closed.

3. Process the sealed jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove the jars from the boiling water bath and let cool in a draft-free place overnight. Check the lids to make sure they've popped down to ensure they're properly sealed (I love the sound the jars make as they seal.) If any of the lids have not sealed properly, refrigerate those jars and use them right away. The rest can be stored in a cool dark place for 9 months.

This chutney is a nice accompaniment to roasted meats, lamb burgers, kabobs of all kinds, Indian food, vegetable fritters, and many more things.

You may also like the following posts:

On Canning and Preserving
How To: Canning
Homemade Applesauce
Bottling the Bounty: Adventures in Canning

On Foraged Foods
Candied Meyer Lemon Peel
Rustic Plum Tart, a Foraged Treat
Wild Blackberry Sorbet With Garden Mint & Lavender

Eatwell Recipe 20: Grilled Summer Squash

This week's produce box contained a bag of the season's first summer squash. Although I am sure we will be sick to death of squash in just a few short months, I greeted this first collection of tender, little yellow and green bowling pins with pleasure.

This is my favorite way of preparing summer squash. It's quick, simple and truly delicious. I've loved it ever since my mother-in-law prepared a bunch for a summer cookout a few years ago.

It's pretty easy to throw the squash onto the grill if you're barbequing other things but if you don't have a grill, you can also roast the squash on a cookie sheet in the oven with similarly tasty results.

This is such a simple recipe that I have not really specified any amounts below -- just adjust as needed based on how much squash you have to work with. The garlic is optional -- it will taste good with or without it. You can either eat these as a side or add them to some orzo, farro or quinoa along with some goat or feta cheese and basil for a delicious salad.

Grilled Summer Squash & Zucchini

Ingredients

* Summer squash and zucchini (or one or the other)

* Olive oil

* Sea salt

* Freshly ground black pepper

* Minced or pressed garlic (optional)

Directions

1. Slice the squash into 1/4 inch-thick ribbons length-wise (you could use a mandolin if you have one but a sharp knife will do the trick fine, too)

2. Toss the squash with olive oil to coat thoroughly and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and garlic (if you're using it).

3. Grill over the hottest part of the coals (or gas jets) for roughly six minutes or until black grill marks appear, turning once. Move to a cooler area of the grill and grill another four or so minutes, until fully softened.

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Rustic Plum Tart - A Foraged Treat

It's plum season here in the East Bay and the trees are putting out a riot of small yellow, red and purple orbs. As a result, the sidewalks in my neighborhood are a sticky mosaic of smeared patches and tiny dried pits from the fallen fruits.

I took a walk in the Oakland hills with some friends a few days ago and came home with a bucketful of foraged plums. Aren't they gorgeous? I love the mix of colors from the different trees.

Each variety (and I have to admit that I have no idea what the varieties are) has a slightly different taste and texture but they all have that smooth, dusky skin, followed by juicy sweetness that is tempered by a little sour bite. These foraged plums are definitely "petite" which makes them a bit more work to pit, but they're definitely worth the effort.

I was inspired to make this tart by a recipe in On Rue Tatin, a wonderful book about food and life in France, written by Susan Hermann Loomis. Her recipe called for nectarines but it works equally well with either plums or peaches. I find the process of making a free form tart extremely fun and satisfying -- somehow it feels way more creative than making something like a pie. Hope that you enjoy this lovely taste of summer.

Rustic Plum Tart
Serves 6

Ingredients

Dough
* 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus a bit more to flour your work surface
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 10 Tbsps (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 3 - 6 Tbsps ice water

Fruit Filling

* 1 pound plums (or peaches , nectarines, or apricots)
* 5 Tbsps granulated sugar
* 1 tsp of corn starch
* 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
* 1 Tbsp granulated sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a food processor, pulse flour and salt a few times to combine well. Scatter the pieces of butter over the flour, then pulse until the texture resembles coarse corn meal and the butter pieces are about the size of small peas (will probably take 12-15 pules). Sprinkle the mixture with 1 tablespoon of the ice water and process for 1-2 seconds; repeat until the dough begins to form into small clumps and holds together when you pinch it with your fingers. Turn the dough out onto a smooth, floured work surface. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, you can add a bit more water but add water sparingly -- you can always add more but you can't take any back... Kneed the dough with the heel of your hand until it is cohesive and seems workable (but don't overdo it or the crust will be tough.) Form the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap it waxed paper or put it in a plastic bag (I hate Saran wrap but you can also use that), and refrigerate it until cold and firm but still workable, about 1 hour.

2. While the dough is chilling, prepare the fruit for the filling. Halve and pit the fruit and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Combine fruit in medium bowl (you should have about 3 cups) and set aside. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Using a floured rolling pin on a floured surface or a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough to make a 12-inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Slide the dough carefully onto a baking stone, insulated baking sheet or just a plain old pie dish (this was my solution) and set aside for a minute. If the dough has gotten too warm while you were working with it, put it in the fridge for a few minutes to cool down. Or if it feels too cold and stiff, leave it out to soften a tiny bit while you finish up with the filling.

4. Sprinkle fruit with sugar, lemon juice and corn starch and toss gently to combine. Mound the fruit in the center of the circle of dough, leaving 2 1/2-inch border around edge. Carefully grasp one edge of dough and fold up outer 2 inches over fruit, leaving 1/2-inch area of dough just inside of fold free of fruit. Repeat around circumference of tart, overlapping dough every 2 to 3 inches; gently pinch pleated dough to secure, but do not press dough into fruit. When you've finished pleating, brush the dough with water and sprinkle the whole thing evenly with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

5. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 50 to 55 minutes. If you baked the tart on a baking stone or cookie sheet, carefully slide it onto a wire rack and cool slightly before cutting into wedges and serving (hint, hint: this goes very well with ice cream...)

Eatwell Recipe 19: Curried Potato Salad

Since the season for new potatoes has arrived here in Northern Cali, I figure this is a great time to bust out some new takes on old 'tater favorites.

Although I've often made curried chicken salad, for some reason, I had never made curried potato salad before yesterday. I have no idea why I waited so long, since it's totally delicious!

I used the other pound of Desiree potatoes we received in our produce box to make this yummy side salad.

I've included rough amounts below but you should feel free to adjust based on your tastes -- it's all pretty flexible.

Curried Potato Salad

Ingredients

* 6 potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into cubes
* A handful of fresh cilantro, washed, dried and chopped plus a bit more for garnish
* 2 Tbsps (roughly 1/4 of a medium-sized onion) red onion, finely chopped or sliced (that part is up to you)
* 1 Tbsp capers
* 2 Tbsps of sour cream or plain yogurt
* 1 Tbsp of mayonnaise
* 2 tsps whole grain mustard
* 1 Tbsp mango chutney or apricot jam
* Sea salt to taste
* Freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 2-3 tsps curry powder or garam masala (you can use more if you like)
* 1-2 tsps warm water, as needed to think dressing

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients (except for the potatoes) and mix well. Add warm water as needed to thin the dressing.

2. Add to the dressing to the potatoes and toss well to coat.

3. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

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Eatwell Recipe 18: Roasted New Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary & Sea Salt

I am a potato fiend! Something about their slightly sweet, starchy flavor really thrills and satisfies me. So, naturally, I get very excited when new potato season rolls around. No more greening skins and growing eyes, these babies are tender and fresh - straight from the dark, moist earth.

Our most recent produce box contained a paper bag full of the season's first new potatoes, a variety called "desiree." Since we received two pounds of taters, I roasted half and saved the other half to make potato salad (post coming soon).

This is a simple (one might call it "classic") and delicious way to prepare new (or old) potatoes. These potatoes make a good side for a meat or fish dish or go well as one of several veggie dishes for a non-meat meal. I recommend one of the waxier varieties such as Yukon Gold, Russian Banana Fingerling, Yellow Finn, etc., since they have such a sweet, subtle flavor. Since our house is surrounded by rosemary bushes (see the photo below), it's my herb of choice though I'm sure this would also be very tasty using thyme or sage.

I'd also recommend using a coarse-grained salt that will stand on its own better than fine-grained salts - you want it to be just coarse enough to add some salty crunch to these sweet and herby little tubers. I used some coarse-grained Celtic sea salt on this batch of taters.

Roasted New Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary & Sea Salt
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

* 1 lb small new potatoes, scrubbed of all dirt and with any blemishes cut out. If the potatoes are different sizes, cut them into equal-sized pieces as you want them to roast at the same rate
* 2-3 tsps fresh rosemary, washed, dried and chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
* 3-4 Tbsps olive oil
* 2 tsps coarse sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the potatoes, herbs, oil, garlic, salt and a few grinds of black pepper thoroughly. You want each potato to be coated in oil.

2. Spread them in a single jumbled layer on a thick-bottomed cookie sheet or in a glass or ceramic baking dish and roast for 35-45 minutes (this will depend on how large your 'taters are). Do not forget to check them after 15-20 minutes and turn them all to prevent burning. If your oven heats unevenly (as mine does) you may want to check and turn them earlier twice while they're roasting instead of just once.

3. Once tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.