Farmers’ Market Fritatta
We had another great trip to the local farmers’ market last week, and to my pleasant surprise there were at least twice as many vendors as in previous weeks. Summer is here! Fresh fruits and veggies abound! Each stall had plates of samples, and my little companion tasted each one with gusto, asking for More! More! More! with the persistence and urgency that only a two year old can muster. The apricots were his absolute favorite, but he also wasn’t shy about asking for more of any of the following: spicy lamb merguez, grass-fed filet mignon, and every type of cheese, stinky or otherwise, that I sent his way.
One of the newcomers this week was some beautiful Swiss chard. It may not be the easiest leafy green to prepare, but it’s definitely the most attractive. I used ours to make a frittata for dinner. Frittata is so simple to make, and yet it’s so elegant. Served for brunch, it feels impressive. When saved for supper, it feels cozy. And since it’s so much faster to make than quiche, you can make it on the fly without any advance planning.
Farmers’ Market Fritatta
One bunch rainbow swiss chard
3 gloves garlic
2 small red potatoes (I also got these from the market – first of the season!)
6 eggs
Salt, pepper
Approximately 1/4 lb. of your choice of cheese (I got a mild Highlander cow’s cheese from the Farmers’ Market, but a really robust cheese works well too.)
Wash the Swiss chard and pat dry. Separate leaves from stems. Chop the stems into little pieces, and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Chop the garlic. Wash potatoes and chop into very small pieces (to speed up cooking). Beat eggs with a generous pinch of salt. Cut cheese into small cubes.
Sautee the garlic in olive oil until fragrant, add potatoes. Once potatoes are fairly tender, add chard stems. Sautee for another minute, then add the leaves and a pinch of salt. Just as the leaves turn limp, pour the eggs over and allow it to set. (Don’t stir the way you would with scrambled eggs.) Once the bottom and sides have set, sprinkle cheese on top and put this under your broiler for a few more minutes.
We were too busy scarfing down the end product to take a proper photo, so I’ll just leave you with this pic of the chopped chard stems. Ever hear that old adage about eating foods of every color? Let’s hope it’s true!
