Cast Iron
Spring Vegetable Frittata w/Pea Shoot Salad
- Makes 1 10.25-inch frittata
Author Notes
This is one of those easy Sunday morning meals -- a seasonal plate to take back to bed with a copy of The New Yorker. If you like dairy in your frittata, you can add cheese-- I prefer it without. I like to serve it alongside a lovely pea shoot salad, topped with a generous dollop of good quality harissa. But creme fraiche, goat cheese, or even salsa are all welcome here.
And feel free to substitute other vegetables or herbs for the ones listed here. Despite its claim to spring and fresh vegetables, it's kind of a pantry meal even if you don't have access to fresh produce. Frozen sweet peas taste sweeter, in my opinion, so if you only have frozen peas, use frozen peas. If you don't have fresh herbs, try dried oregano or herbes de provence. (And frozen asparagus or frozen green beans are decent substitutes for fresh asparagus but fresh asparagus is everywhere right now). The lemon zest is my secret ingredient and it makes the whole thing shine -- please don't leave it out. —Maja Lukic - Veggies & Gin
Ingredients
- Frittata
-
1 tablespoon
avocado oil
-
1
large shallot, sliced crosswise into rings
-
1 pound
asparagus (approx. 1 bunch)
-
1 cup
fresh shucked peas (or frozen peas)
-
6
large eggs
-
1 tablespoon
fresh chives, minced
-
1 teaspoon
fresh tarragon, chopped
-
3/4 teaspoon
sea salt
-
1 lemon, zest only
- Pea Shoot Salad
-
4-5 cups
pea shoots
-
extra virgin olive oil
-
lemon juice
-
sea salt, black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees (or turn on broiler).
- Trim the asparagus and slice diagonally into 1-inch pieces. If using fresh peas, rinse and drain the peas.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) over medium heat. Saute the shallot and asparagus in the avocado oil with 1/4 tsp sea salt until cooked through and lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the peas. If using fresh peas, saute for a few minutes until the peas are cooked through. If using frozen peas, move on to the next step. Stir in the zest of 1 lemon. Save the rest of the lemon to dress the salad below.
- While the vegetables are cooking, whisk the eggs with 1/2 tsp salt and add the fresh herbs. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet and stir the vegetables a bit to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Cook over medium heat until the eggs are just set, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Move the frittata to the oven and either broil or bake at 450 F degrees until cooked through, about 5 minutes. For a crispier top, you can continue to cook until the frittata is browned and caramelized. (I like to pull it out earlier so that the eggs do not dry out. Also, the eggs will continue to cook in the pan.).
- Allow the frittata to cool a bit and then gently loosen the edges and the bottom with a heat-proof spatula. Transfer the frittata to a serving platter. (You can try to slide it out and hope it stays intact. But the best way to do this is to grab two plates, cover the skillet with the first plate, carefully flip the skillet over, and then cover the first plate with a second plate and flip again.).
- Dress the pea shoots with a squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil, to taste. Season with a healthy sprinkle of sea salt and cracked black pepper. Toss with your hands.
- To serve, arrange about a cup of pea shoots on each plate and top with a slice of frittata. Serve with a dollop of harissa, crème fraîche, or other condiment of choice, and more fresh chives.
- Leftover frittata can be stored in the fridge and can be served either cold or at room temperature. Avoid reheating.
- Note: I use a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet for 6 eggs and about 3 cups of vegetables. For a heartier frittata, add two more eggs. You can either bake or broil the frittata to finish it off (I tend to bake because my broiler is unreliable).
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