Frittata Dell' Ortolano

Recipe courtesy of Lauren Lombardi of Lombardi's Love Lane Market. Keep an eye for Lauren's cookbook on sale this Spring for more great recipes.

This frittata is named after the Italian farmers who sell their produce in the local markets. 

Ingredients:

12 Browder's Organic Eggs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 bunch of asparagus
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil
Handful of cherry tomatoes

Preparation:

Whisk the eggs, Pecorino, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Set aside.

In a 12-inch frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat.  Saute the sliced potatoes for about 5 minutes then sprinkle with salt.

Trim off the ends of asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces.  Add to potatoes.  Add chopped shallots, stir and continue to saute for another 15 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

Add the egg mixture.

With a spatula, even out the top and gently lift the sides to allow the egg to fill in the spaces.  Continue to do so while the eggs are settling for about 3-4 minutes over medium low heat.

Turn the oven onto broil.  Pace cherry tomatoes on the top and broil in oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove and let stand for about 2 minutes.

Loosen from the skillet with a spatula and slide onto a plate.  Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta with Fried Eggs

Here's a quick and delicious pasta dish to make when you have little time, and even less food in the house. All you need is a box of pasta, four eggs, olive oil and garlic.  Parmesan is a delicious, but optional, addition.

 Ingredients

• Salt
• ½ pound pasta
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or lard
• 2 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
• 4 eggs
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, optional 

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Start the sauce in the next step, and start cooking the pasta when the water boils.

Combine garlic and 4 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic, pressing it into the oil occasionally to release its flavor; it should barely color on both sides. Remove the garlic, and add the remaining oil.

Fry the eggs gently in the oil, until the whites are just about set and the yolks still quite runny. Drain the pasta, and toss with the eggs and oil, breaking up the whites as you do. (The eggs will finish cooking in the heat of the pasta.) Season to taste, and serve immediately, with cheese if you like.

 Featured in: The Minimalist; Pasta From The Pantry by Mark Bittman.

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

Fire up the grill!!  Tuscan Lemon Chicken is perfect for summer dinners.  Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours (or overnight) in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and rosemary. Then, the trick to perfectly grilled chicken is to throw the whole chicken on the grill and put a weight on top. Because the chicken is slightly flattened, it cooks evenly, the skin comes out crispy, and the meat is unbelievably moist. All you need is a big salad and a chunk of good bread, and dinner is served!

Serves 2-3. 
    

1 3 ½-pound chicken, butterflied
Kosher salt
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoon pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken two or three times while marinating.

When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on one side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread most of the coals across half of the grill. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the opposite side of the grill and place the dish you used for marinating on top of the chicken to weight it. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minute of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

 

Copyright 2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, All Rights Reserved

Roast Chicken & Pesto

This is a fantastic and simple way to eat a roast chicken – whether it's hot or cold.
Serves 6.

1 Browder's Birds roasting chicken         
½ bulb garlic, plus an extra ¼ clove
2 small lemons
a few sprigs fresh thyme
extra virgin olive oil
3 bunches fresh basil, stalks removed
1 handful pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup of Parmesan, freshly grated

Preheat your oven or grill to 400ºF, then stuff your chicken with the ½ garlic bulb, one of the lemons and the thyme. Rub the outside with lots of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then rub with olive oil and roast for 1½ hours. To see if it's properly cooked, pierce a thigh with the tip of a knife and check that the juices run clear. If they don't, continue cooking and check again.

Pound the remaining garlic with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar. Scrape the paste into a food processor and whiz with the basil and pine nuts. Pour the mix into a bowl and stir in a few good lugs of olive oil. Add the Parmesan and season with salt, pepper and the juice of the other lemon. If the pesto looks stiff, moisten it with olive oil.

Serve the chicken in portions – hot or cold – on a big plate with the pesto in a bowl next to it. Better still, tear off bits of chicken and dip in a bowl of pesto before eating – fantastic! Great with arugula and roasted lemon halves, if you like.

Recipe by Chef Jamie Oliver