Summer Vegetable Frittata

My very first attempt at a frittata was immensely satisfying. Watching this mess of raw eggs and scraps of veggies transform itself in a mere 3 minutes into a handsomely browned, restaurant-worthy egg pie had me eagerly telling my friends of my feat – but no one seemed too impressed. Am I the only one who’s never made a frittata before?!

Summer Vegetable Frittata
Serves 4

9 large FRESH eggs
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup zucchini or any other summer squash you have hanging out in your fridge
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup tomato, diced

1.) Combine eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl and whisk until frothy. Set aside.

2.) Heat olive oil in a large, broiler-proof skillet (10-12 inches is fine). Add onions and saute for 1 minute. Add zucchini, bell pepper, thyme, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally; until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid cooks off; 5 minutes or so.

2.) Preheat broiler to high heat. Pour eggs into skillet and stir gently to combine. Cover reduce heat, and cook for 15 minutes, until the center is about to set.

3.) Broil frittata for 3-8 minutes; until cooked through. Serve with hot sauces, if desired.

Summer Vegetable Casserole

Summer Vegetable Casserole

extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 pound petite golden Idaho potatoes (or any small, fingerling variety), sliced in 1/4″ rounds
1/2 pound roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
2 small zucchini (1/2 pound) or other summer squash, sliced diagonally 1/4″ thick
1/4-1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9″ baking dish. Combine bell pepper, onion, garlic, and thyme in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.) Place potatoes in the dish in an even layer. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread about tow thirds of the bell pepper and onion mixture over potatoes. Top with tomatoes and zucchini. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly distribute remaining bell pepper and onion mixture on top of tomatoes and zucchini. Finish it off with as much/as little grated cheese as you prefer.

3.) Tightly cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Increase oven temperate to 425 degrees, uncover dish, and bake for 20 minutes more; until lightly browned.

Veggie-Heavy Black Bean Chili with Dark Ale

Chicago’s fleeting spring weather took a turn for the worse earlier this week, and I found myself craving a pot of warming chili after a particularly violent battle with the wind on my way home. Hence, I go from Spring Soba Noodles to this hearty meal. The generous amounts of vegetables do make for a somewhat lighter chili. Make sure to really go for it with the garnishes of cilantro, lime juice, and queso fresco – they truly make the dish. I also served this with my favorite cornbread – 101 Cookbook’s Firecracker Cornbread.

Veggie-Heavy Black Bean Chili with Dark Ale
Serves 4

The Beans
1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight (or two 14 oz cans)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
few pinches of dried Mexican oregano (if using dried black beans)

The Chili
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into a 1/4″ dice
7 garlic cloves, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 large red bell pepper, diced
12 oz dark ale
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
juice of half a lime

The Garnishes
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
crumbled queso fresco
lime wedges

1.) If using dried beans – Drain from soaking liquid, place in a large saucepan, and cover with an ample amount of cold water. Add a few pinches of Mexican oregano, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer until beans are tender, but still quite firm to the bite, as you will finish cooking them alongside the rest of the ingredients; about 30-50 minutes, depending on how old your beans are. Season with the salt after the first 30 minutes. When beans are nearly cooked through, drain, and set aside.

2.) Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, chiles, cumin, and a few pinches of salt, and saute for 5 minutes more. Add bell pepper and saute for 5 more minutes; until your ingredients have taken on a delicious golden hue and your kitchen is aromatic.

3.) Stir in beans, ale, tomatoes, and corn. Bring chili to a boil, and reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 45 minutes; until thickened slightly. It is important that you are, indeed, simmering the beans (a few bubbles gently rising to the surface), and not boiling them, as this will cause your beans to split open. When finished cooking, taste for salt and season with more, if necessary. If the beans taste flat, don’t fret – they just need more salt. Stir in the lime juice.

4.) To serve, garnish with generous amounts of cilantro, queso fresco, and pass additional lime wedges around the table.

Smoky Ancho Chile Pork & Hominy Stew

A smoky, intoxicating stew of pork, hominy, bell pepper, chile, and loads of garlic and onions. Restorative in its hearty goodness.

Cowboy’s contribution to this dinner was throwing one of his records into the background of the photo. Pretty cool, huh? He was proud.

Smoky Ancho Chile Pork and Hominy Stew

2 tablespoons mild-flavored olive oil
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons dried New Mexican Oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
3 cups yellow onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
14 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
28 oz can hominy
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1.) Mix all spices in a ziploc bag. Add pork, twist top, and shake to coat.

2.) Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add pork and saute 4-7 minutes; until lightly browned. Remove from pan with tongs and set aside.

3.) Add a splash more of oil to the pot, add onion, and saute for 15 minutes; until soft and beginning to turn golden.

4.) Add garlic and pepper and saute for 7 more minutes.

5.) Add hominy to pan and stir to coat. Then add tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.