Southwestern Shiitake and Corn Frittata

Frittatas, which are essentially an open faced omelette, are an extremely versatile and inexpensive dish for entertaining. Frittatas can be made with all sorts of fillings. Throw in your favorite vegetables, perhaps a bit of bacon, ham or sausage, a great cheese or two-and voilá. I even had someone tell me recently he had made a corned beef and cabbage frittata. I don’t know how I feel about that one, but you get my point. The only limit is your imagination.

They can be baked and served hot out of the oven, or made ahead of time and reheated. They’re even good at room temperature. And like the other items in our summer garden party menu, they move well from brunch to lunch, and even into a light supper menu. They can be baked in a pie dish and cut into wedges, or in a rectangular baking dish and cut into individual bites of any shape you like with a knife or cookie cutter.

For our summer garden party, I’ve cooked up a couple frittatas with some of my favorite summer vegetables- a Southwestern Shiitake Mushroom and Corn, and a Ratatouille, both of which showcase summer’s bountiful crop.

Shiitake and Corn Frittata Bites with Tomatillo Avocado Salsa

Ratatouille Frittata baked in a rectangular pan ready to be cut into bites

Shiitake Mushroom and Corn Frittata

This frittata is given a Southwestern twist with a Tomatillo Avocado Salsa to garnish.

For the Shiitake Corn Filling:

6 ounces shiitake mushrooms
1 cup onions, chopped
1 large garlic clove
1/2 jalapeno pepper (or more to taste)
1 cup corn kernels (@ 2 ears)
1 small plum tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Butter

Get ahead tip-The filling and grated cheeses may be prepared ahead of time. Even the egg and cream mixture can be mixed the night before and stored in the refrigerator.

For the Frittata:

4 ounces Jarlsberg
2 ounces Woolwich Goat Cheddar
1 ounce Woolwich Chevre
1 tablespoon Parmesan, grated
12 eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Place Shiitake Corn Filling and grated cheeses, in a well buttered 2 quart Pyrex dish.
2. Beat 12 eggs well in a bowl, then add the cream. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and pour over the filling and cheeses. Sprinkle the tablespoon of Parmesan over top of eggs, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.
3. Let frittata cool to room temperature. Run a flat spatula around the edges of a pan and flip the frittata onto a cutting board. Flip it over onto another cutting board and cut into desired shapes.

Tomatillo Avocado Salsa

8 ounces tomatillos
1 half jalapeno pepper (or more to taste), seeded and finely diced
1/3 cup onions, chopped
5-6 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 small avocado

1. Boil the tomatillos in enough salted water just to cover, and cook until barely tender- 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Place the tomatillos in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times, until slightly broken up.
3. Add the onion, cilantro and jalapeno pulsing a few more times. The salsa should retain some texture. Stir in the cumin and salt.

Yield :@ 1 1/2 cups

Ratatouille

Ratatouille Frittata

Ratatouille is a Provençal vegetable mélange of eggplant, summer squash, peppers and tomatoes that sings with the essence of summer. It’s great served hot, cold or at room temperature, making it a wonderful dish to take on a picnic. This recipe makes more than you’ll need, but it’s a wonderful accompaniment to sautéed or grilled salmon, roast chicken and grilled meats, so enjoy!

For the Ratatouille:

1 large eggplant (@1 1/4- 1 1/2 pounds)
3 medium to large zucchini and/or yellow summer squash (@ 1 pound)
1 large red bell pepper (@1 pound)
1 cup onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled*, seeded and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons double concentrate tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3-4 large basil leaves, rolled up like a cigar and snipped with a kitchen shears or sliced with a very sharp knife, as basil crushes and browns easily
A healthy pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
@ 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Peel the eggplant and dice into @ 1/2 inch cubes. Place the eggplant in a colander in a sink and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for @ 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and dry well with paper towels.
2. While eggplant is sitting, heat a 2-3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the red peppers to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute. Scrape the pepper/onion mixture into a large bowl.
3. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan, and when heated, add the eggplant. Cook until for about 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the pepper/onion mixture to the eggplant, then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are softened and slightly reduced, then add stir in tomato paste.
5. Add thyme, oregano and basil, and continue to cook until all the vegetables are softened, but not mushy.

Flavor tip- I always peel tomatoes over a strainer placed over a bowl to catch any additional juices that release while peeling. Also I press against the skin and seeds in the strainer to release even more juices then add them to the pot.

For the Frittata:

2 cups ratatouille
4 ounces Jarlsberg
2 ounces Woolwich Mozzarella
1 ounce Parmesan, grated + 1 additional tablespoon for sprinkling on top
12 eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream

1. Place the Ratatouille and grated cheeses, in a well buttered 2 quart Pyrex dish.
2. Beat 12 eggs well in a bowl, then add the cream. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and pour over the filling and cheeses. Sprinkle the tablespoon of Parmesan over top of eggs, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.
3.Let frittata cool to room temperature. Run a flat spatula around the edges of a pan and flip the frittata onto a cutting board. Flip it over onto another cutting board and cut into desired shapes.

Top frittata with a bit of Basil Pesto or Salse Verde to serve.

Ratatouille Frittata with Salse Verde