The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

ASPARAGUS & GRUYERE FRITTATA

IF YOUHAVE NEVERHADA FRITTATA BEFORE, THINKOF IT AS BASICALLY A CRUSTLESS QUICHE. If you have, then you will know what all the fuss is about. Vegetables and bits of meat suspended in a fluffy light, egg mixture with a little melted cheese. Not too filling, but substantial enough that you won’t need any potatoes or pasta to round out the meal. The secret to a good frittata is to cook all of your vegetables before putting them into your egg mixture. This recipe is vegetarian but feel free to add some cubed chicken, crumbled sausage or bacon for a heartier version. MAKES 4 (GENEROUS) PORTIONS

1 (2 quart) casserole dish

1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, steamed or sautéed alongside the onion 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

12 eggs ½ cup milk ¼ cup heavy cream

1 small red onion, sliced and sautéed until soft

1 Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

4 Remove from the oven and sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the top of the frittata. Leave in a warm place to set up and for the cheese to melt for about 10 minutes before serving.

2 In a large bowl beat the eggs, but don’t over beat or the frittata will puff like a soufflé and then collapse. Whisk in the milk, cream, salt and pepper. 3 Stir in the cooked asparagus, red onion, tomatoes and dill and pour into the casserole dish. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the frittata comes out clean.

36 THE ROYAL CHEF AT HOME