09 September 2017

Frittata with chard, chicken, tomato, and cheese




In this year's vegetable garden, we've noticed a few "volunteer" plants and decided to let them grow. In other words, we didn't plant them but they came up all by themselves. One is a beautiful Swiss chard plant. A couple of days ago, Walt went out and cut just four leaves off them plant and we made an Italian omelet that's called a frittata. I chopped and used only the green parts of the leaves, saving the thick white ribs for later.




We had some cooked chicken in the refrigerator. In this case, it was actually a package of chicken that I bought at the supermarket, where it's sold the way the chunks of bacon called lardons are sold. After the chopped chard and some onions and garlic had cooked down in a little bit of olive oil in — and this is important — a pan that you can put in the oven, add the chicken and stir it all around with the chard. Then push the chard and chicken just slightly toward the center of the pan.



The next step was to beat six eggs with a couple of pinches of black pepper and a grating or pinch of nutmeg. Pour the eggs over the mixture of sauteed chard, chicken, onions, and garlic. Set the pan back over low to medium heat and let the eggs cook on the bottom. If you can carefully lift the edges of the omelet and let some more of the liquid egg run down under the cooked egg, do so, but it's not really required.


When the egg has set on the bottom (but not burned!), spread a good amount of coarsely chopped fresh tomato over the top of the frittata. Leave it just long enough for the tomato to get warm, and sprinkle grated cheese over all. To melt the cheese and cook the top of the omelet, put the pan under the broiler element in the oven at medium to high heat. Keep an eye on it and as soon as the cheese is melted and slightly browned, the frittata is ready.

Let the frittata cool for a few minutes and then cut it into wedges and serve with some good French bread.

17 comments:

  1. O/T — Right now, it seems coastal North Carolina will be spared since Irma’s path is predicted to turn west instead of east. Keeping my fingers crossed for MA and yours.


    Mr. Trump's mini Mar-a-Lago beachfront house, Château des Palmiers, on French Saint Martin which, before Irma, was on the market since May for $16.9 million, down from $28 million, is probably completely destroyed and now worth peanuts. Sad!

    In my opinion, said tape-à-l’œil Château des Palmiers, like some other 45's properties, is the epitome in bad taste! You can judge the late inside for yourselves here and here.

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    1. See this article about Trump's and Richard Branson's properties in the Caribbean after Irma. Now they'll both get millions of dollars or pounds in insurance money, I'm sure.

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    2. Thank you for the link. It all depends on how much overpriced was the Château des Palmiers. Even before Irma, I would not have given a dime for the furniture!

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    3. chm, nothing says restful beach house hideaway like gilding, chandeliers and tiger print fabric.

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    4. It's an insult to have such decoration and furniture on a French territory!

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  2. It does appear at this point that Hurricane Irma will go up the west side of Florida. Anything can happen, however. I remember Hurricane Donna in 1960, when I was 11 or 12 years old. It went up the west side of Florida, over Tampa, then across the peninsula and over Jacksonville FL. The storm came roaring up the Georgia and Carolina coasts and caused some of the worst damage Carteret County NC ever had from a storm.

    Meanwile, I'm thinking of my old friend Merle and frequent commenter friend BettyAnn, who both live in Naples FL (but don't know each other, to my knowledge). I hope both of them have fled north. Also commenter Notesfromabroad, who lives in Jacksonville FL. I have close cousins in Florida, Walt has nephews there, and I have good friends in Orlando and Pensacola FL too. I think Georgia and Alabama (where our friends Evelyn and her husband live) will have to worry about flooding if the storm continues to move north-northwest.

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  3. Your recipe photos today look amazing. Makes me want to start a similar cook-up immediately. However, I can't as we are in the caravan at Seigny. Nicely settled in now and hoping the weather will improve asap. We would love to see you while we are here and, of course, meet Walt and Natasha if that works for you? Please don't feel obliged but, if you are happy and able, can we have another catch-up? If so, would it suit you best to come to us at the campsite or would you prefer to meet up somewhere else? We can be free any day from tomorrow until Thursday when we leave for Vichy.

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  4. Grey , Breezy and Quiet in Jacksonville Florida
    The Frittata looks ridiculously good ... almost too pretty to eat .. But I will eat it !

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  5. Thanks, glad you are fine and hope that continues in J'ville.

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  6. That really looks tasty!

    We have friends (one of them an elderly mother) who now live in Florida. They've headed north, but I worry, still, and I worry about their new house. I hope Carteret County, and all of your loved ones and friends, will be safe.
    Judy

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    1. I heard from BettyAnn and she's in Minnesota right now, so she's out of danger. My other friend who lives in Naples FL is riding the storm out at home -- alone, I think.

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  7. Thinking of all those people that have already suffered from Irma and those that still may. We don't have anything like hurricanes in the Netherlands (thank god). Hope she'll not wreak too much havoc. Thinking of you and your worries about relatives, friends, loved ones as well. Quite an ordeal. :((

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  8. We just had one of those sudden downpours, a very heavy rain then it stopped. The East Coast Florida, where I am - North, is not as threatened .. I am busy worrying about everyone else, happy not to be worrying about here ...

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  9. Evacuees are already in Anniston. I think the storm will be here by Tuesday.

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    1. Evelyn, I keep my fingers crossed for you and Lewis.

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