Month: July 2016

Heirloom Tomato Frittata

~ The Blind Guy Cooks ~ Leave a comment

 

tomatofrittata

Tomatoes are coming on strong now and can be found everywhere at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. We are eating them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Recently, I made this fantastic, flavorful frittata for lunch, but it would do well for any meal.

A frittata is quick and easy to make when you don’t have a lot of time or if you have several people to serve a quick, satisfying breakfast or brunch. The Italian word frittata comes from the Italian verb friggere – to fry, suggests the simplicity of this great dish. A frittata is somewhat like an omelet, however unlike the French omelet, the frittata requires no flipping or folding.

Heirloom Tomato Frittata

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8 Large eggs
3 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
2 Cloves garlic, minced
2 Teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (more for garnish)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 Pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored, cut crosswise into 1/4′ slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Grease 12-inch cast-iron skillet with unsalted butter making sure to grease up the sides. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in cheese, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. When butter is melted, pour egg mixture into pan and cook until eggs begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Arrange tomato slices on top of egg mixture. Allow some slices to sink if they want to.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake frittata until eggs are just set in the center, 8–10 minutes. If desired, turn on broiler for a 3 to 4 minutes to give the top a deeper brown. When eggs are set and frittata is browned to your preferred doneness, loosen frittata from pan and slide onto a warm platter. Garnish with a sprig or two of thyme or with additional fresh thyme leaves, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Spinach and Feta Turkey Burger

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Spinach and Feta Turkey Burger with Mint, Dill, and Cucumber Tzatziki Sauce

I’ve never really cared much for ground turkey. I thought it was too dry and bland and became dense and bland when formed into patties.

A couple weeks ago, I was over at my in-laws and was served a grilled turkey burger. It was much tastier than I anticipated, but I still thought it could be improved upon.

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Spinach and feta turkey burgers fry on a cast iron griddle on a gas grill.

A few days later, my wife showed me a recipe for a turkey burger with spinach and feta cheese. It looked promising, but I thought the proportions seemed a little off. I decreased the amount of spinach and egg as I thought the amount in the original recipe would make burgers that fell apart.

I use a cast iron griddle on my gas grill to cook the burgers. A cast iron skillet will also work or simply cook them on the grates.

Here is what I did:

Spinach and Feta Turkey Burger

Ingredients

1 Large egg
2 Cloves garlic
3 Ounces Feta cheese crumbles
1 Pound fresh spinach steamed and squeezed dry or 7 ounces frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 Pounds ground turkey

Directions

Mix together the egg, garlic, feta cheese, spinach, and turkey in a large bowl until well combined. Form into 6 patties approximately 5 ounces each. Place them on foil wrapped tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While burgers are chilling, preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Then grill burgers until no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mint, Dill, and Cucumber Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients 

1 Cucumber, peeled and grated
1/2 Teaspoon salt
2 Cups plain Greek yogurt
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

Sprinkle grated cucumber with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and let stand 10 to 15 minutes to draw out juice. Then move shredded cucumber onto several dry paper or cloth towel and squeeze as much moisture as possible from the cucumber.

Then combine yogurt, cucumber into a separate bowl. Add garlic, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

Stir dill and mint into yogurt-cucumber mixture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. This may also be made the day before to allow the flavors to combine even more.

Chickpeas – A great snack

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Oven roasted chickpeas.

Whether oven roasted or fried, chickpeas make a great snack and either method of making them is simple. Each method has its pluses and minuses. The oven roasting method uses less oil if that is a concern. Fried chickpeas tend to stay crispier while the oven roasted can become soft in the center after they have cooled. I provide both methods below. I would suggest trying them both to see which you prefer.

I also suggest playing around with the seasoning. Chickpeas take on seasoning well. I list a smoky, slightly spicy seasoning mix, but you can use most any. My daughter suggests cinnamon and sugar for a sweeter treat.

Here is what I did:

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients

2 15.5 ounce cans chickpeas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/2 Teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Heat the oven to 450°F. and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under running water.  Open the cans of chickpeas and pour the chickpeas into a strainer in the sink. Rinse thoroughly under running water.

Dry the chickpeas with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. They should look matte and feel dry to the touch. I like to let them air dry for 20 to 30 minutes if I have time. You can remove any chickpea skins that come off while drying, but otherwise don’t worry about them.

Toss the chickpeas with olive oil making sure they are evenly coated and spread the chickpeas out in an even layer on a baking sheet.

Roast the chickpeas in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes so they brown more evenly. Don’t be surprised to see a few chickpeas pop. The chickpeas are done when golden and slightly darkened.

Place the chickpeas in a serving bowl and sprinkle the spices over the chickpeas. Stir to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Fried Chickpeas

Ingredients

2 15.5 ounce cans chickpeas
Vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/2 Teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under running water.  Open the cans of chickpeas and pour the chickpeas into a strainer in the sink. Rinse thoroughly under running water.

Dry the chickpeas with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. They should look matte and feel dry to the touch. I like to let them air dry for 20 to 30 minutes if I have time. You can remove any chickpea skins that come off while drying, but otherwise don’t worry about them.

Pour enough vegetable oil into a 12″ sauté pan to cover the bottom and heat over medium-high heat. It is best to fry the chickpeas in two batches. Carefully add half the chickpeas to the skillet and fry them until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the chickpeas with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain briefly. Add additional oil if needed and fry the other half of the chickpeas.

Place all the chickpeas in a serving bowl and sprinkle the spices over the chickpeas. Stir to coat evenly. Serve immediately.