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.

Deviled Avocado Eggs

Just in time for the Superbowl, a delicious - and healthy - snack for a crowd.


12 large eggs
2 limes
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 shallot (or use red onion), finely minced
1 serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
2 ripe avocados, peeled and pit removed
Salt and pepper
Sweet Spanish smoked paprika

1. Add the eggs to a medium pot and fill with cold water until the eggs are just covered; place over moderately high heat. When the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, transfer the eggs to a bowl with cold water and rinse until room temperature. Peel the eggs and slice them in half.

2. Carefully remove the egg yolks from each halved egg and place in a bowl. Zest one of the limes and add it to the egg yolks. Next, add the juice from the 2 limes and mix in the sour cream. Mash the mixture with a fork, and mix until smooth. Fold in the shallot and serrano pepper. On a cutting board mash the avocados and add them to the bowl. Mix and mash until mixture is completely smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Spoon the mixture into the egg whites. If you’re including the smoked paprika, tap a few dashes of the stuff on top of each egg and serve.

Chicken Liver Pâté

If you want, you can soak the chicken livers in milk for an hour or so before proceeding with the recipe. Soaking the livers in milk will take a bit of the edge off the liver and make them taste more mild. This recipe makes a lot. You can easily halve it.

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1/3 cup minced shallot

1 pound chicken livers

Salt

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp capers

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)

1/4 cup brandy

1/4 cup cream

1 Trim any fat or connective tissue from the livers and discard.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat and let the butter brown, about 3-5 minutes. Do not let it burn.

3 Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the livers. Be sure to space them well in the pan so they can brown more easily. Sprinkle salt over the livers. Flip the livers when one side browns, about 2 minutes. Once the livers have browned, add the capers, thyme, garlic, and anchovy paste if using, and sauté another minute.

4 Take the pan off the heat and add the brandy. (Be careful when you return it to the heat, as it could flame up, especially if you are using a gas range. If it does, cover the pan for a moment.) Turn the heat to high and boil down the brandy to the consistency of syrup, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool.

5 Put the mixture into a food processor or blender and pulse a few times to combine. Add the remaining butter and the cream and purée. The mixture will look a little loose, but it will firm up in the fridge. Pack the pâté into ramekins or a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before using.

*The pâté will last a week or so in the fridge. If you want to preserve it for up to a month, pour a little melted lard or clarified putter on top to seal. Each time you dip into the pâté, you will need to reseal the top to preserve it.

**Serve spread on crackers or baguette slices.