Broccoli Rabe Frittata with Chevre

Sorry, Omelet, but I think frittatas have you beat all around. Not only are they far easier to pull together, but I think they also taste better and are much prettier. You can have them warm or at room temperature, and I'm not sure how many times I've ever thought to myself, "Gee, that other half of my omelet is just beautiful and will make for a great snack later!" Maybe some of you out there disagree, and that's all good, but I'm not sure I will ever attempt another omelet again. I'm horrible at it, and I've concluded there's just no reason for me to.

I decided to switch things up and make this frittata as an individual portion (albeit a sizeable one!) in a 7" skillet. Whenever I've made frittatas, I've used 6 or 7 eggs, and in this case I wanted to see what would happen with 3. The results were perfect - this was my breakfast and afternoon snack and I was sad when it was over. Substitute any green you want if you don't care for broccoli rabe. We've been eating a lot of it around here and I'm pretty taken with it, myself.

                    3 eggs

                    5 tablespoons olive oil

                    1/2 shallot, finely chopped

                    2 cups broccoli rabe, stemmed and torn or chopped coarsely

                    1/4 cup chevre (goat cheese)

                    salt and pepper

Preheat the broiler to 425 and place a rack on the top shelf of your oven.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the shallots until soft. Add the broccoli rabe and a tablespoon of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and bright green. Set aside.

Beat the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the remaining oil in a 7" ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the eggs and immediately turn the heat down to low. Let the eggs cook undisturbed until the bottom has set. Then use a spatula to pull the eggs away from the rim and let the loose eggs run under. 

Arrange the broocoli rabe, shallots, and goat cheese over the top and flash broil the frittata just to set it's surface, a minute at most.

Makes one 7" frittata.

Upland Cress Salad with Roasted Beets, Valencia Orange, and Chevre

I am guessing there's a good chance you may have never made a salad with Upland cress. This is because when I did a basic recipe search on this lesser known and quite beautiful green, it yielded virtually no results. Well, maybe a few, but honestly... they were nothing to speak of. Because the cress has a lively flavor full of spice and pepper, the sweetness of the orange seemed like a nice way to bring some balance to the dish. I roasted some beets, whisked up an orange vinaigrette, and fell in love. The weather has warmed up a bit (temporarily at least), and I'm so excited to reinvent myself saladwise. I think I've hit a wall in terms of my standard: greens, cherry tomatoes, avocado, various nut and/or cheese with a basic vinaigrette. Although that simple salad has served me well, it's time to get creative and celebrate the range of flavors in season right now. Upland cress has inspired me while carving itself out a new little piece of my heart.

                    1 bunch Upland cress
                    1 large or 2 smaller Valencia oranges, peel and white pith removed, sliced, then quartered
                    2 medium beets, roasted, sliced, then chopped to your liking
                    1/4 cup chevre
                    orange vinaigrette

First prepare the beets by poking them several times with a fork, wrapping them in foil, and roasting in the oven at 425 for about an hour or until the hardness resembles a baked potato. While the beets are roasting, wash and clean the greens well, and trim stems to your liking (I trimmed off the bottom third). Gently toss the cress with the oranges, beets and vinaigrette. Top with the chevre.

For the Orange Vinaigrette:
                    6 tablespoons olive oil
                    2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
                    1 tablespoon orange juice
                    a couple of grinds of pepper
                    a couple of grinds of salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl.

Makes two large or four small servings.