Mariah Can’t Cook: Sweet Potato and Kale Frittata
25/06/2013 § 3 Comments
I will freely admit that I am not an expert when it comes to cooking, nor is it something I frequently do. In fact, at home, I actually keep my shoes in the kitchen cupboards where my pots and pans should be. My cardinal rule is that if I make something that you can consume, it’s to be considered “cooking” — and this includes cocktails, natch.
That said, I do enjoy eating well and luckily I have a someone to help me hone my (lackluster) culinary skills: my good friend Tara Cole, who is a holistic health and nutrition counselor. She patiently spent a recent morning cooking with me and passed along this super easy recipe for a sweet potato and kale frittata that looks a good deal fancier than it actually is. So whether you’re making an effort to impress the in-laws or to simply step up your home brunch game, I can attest that anyone can make this. Even me.
Frittata ingredients:
- 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes (thinly sliced)
- 1 red onion (sliced)
- 1 pepper (any color, diced)
- 5 stalks of kale (de-stemmed and ripped apart)
- 6 eggs
- goat cheese
- fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp almond milk (optional)
- olive oil (for cooking)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1-2 scallions (sliced for garnish)
- grape tomatoes (sliced for garnish)
- salt and pepper to taste
- pinch of fresh nutmeg (optional)
- red pepper flake (optional)
Salad and dressing ingredients:
- mixed greens
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ lemon (juice)
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Note: must use an oven-safe pan (no rubber handles).
Preheat oven to 450F degrees.
Saute sliced sweet potatoes in olive oil in a medium-heat pan for 10 minutes, (season with salt and pepper) stirring constantly. Once fork-tender, add in the onions and peppers and season, saute for 5-7 minutes (you may need to add a bit more olive oil). Add in both vinegars, stir, add kale and season, mix for 1-2 minutes. Whisk eggs and milk together, add thyme, nutmeg, and red pepper flake, and pour into pan. Ensure that the egg mixture is evenly distributed in pan, add as much goat cheese as you like. Place pan in preheated oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked. Serve with diced tomatoes and scallions on top, and side salad (recipe below).
Salad: In a bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard,
and salt and pepper, mix together then toss in lettuce.
Voila! Fancy (looking)!
Tara assures me this is a great basic recipe to get creative with. She suggested substituting in things like mushrooms, Gruyere cheese, fennel, and/or spinach. If you have any questions — or would like more recipes — hop over to Tara’s site and she will set you right up. Enjoy!
Tending Bar: The Seven Year Itch
28/05/2012 § 2 Comments
While I may not be much of a cook, I do quite enjoy tending bar. With an exceptionally warm Memorial Day Weekend (what thunderstorms?!?) and friends visiting from out of town, I took the opportunity to make my first pitcher cocktail of the season. A bit bubbly, a bit tart, and completely refreshing, I’m calling this gin-based concoction of mine The Seven Year Itch. To make it, you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cup of gin. I used Brooklyn Gin.
- 1/2 cup elderflower liqueur. I used St. Germain.
- 1 cup club soda
- 1 large handful of fresh raspberries
- 1 handful of fresh mint, additional sprigs for garnish
- 1 lime
- 1 lemon
- ice
- large pitcher, wooden spoon or muddler, cocktail glasses
First, take all of the fresh ingredients and add them to your pitcher.
Take care to wash everything and slice up the lime and lemon.
Muddle, muddle, muddle.
Next, add a good amount of ice to the pitcher, and then pour the liquors and the club soda over the ice. Serve immediately to avoid the club soda going flat and the ice melting.
Voila! Garnish with a raspberry and a mint sprig.
So, what’s with the name?
One of the most iconic Marilyn Monroe movies — yep, the white dress/subway grate one — The Seven Year Itch was directed and co-written by Billy Wilder and was released in 1955. Featuring an exceptionally hot summer in New York (ahem), the story details the overactive imagination of publishing executive Richard Sherman (a role that Tom Ewell originated on Broadway), who has been left to his own devices in the city while his wife (yep, of seven years) heads off to Maine for the summer with their son. Settling in for a long, hot few months, Mr. Sherman is surprised to find his upstairs neighbors have sublet their apartment for the summer to a model (Monroe). Proper Wilder-esque hijinks then ensue. It’s a lovely little film and one of my very favorites. And when I thought about what I wanted to call my cocktail, I immediately thought of Marilyn’s dress, crisp and fresh in the hot city night. Perfectly fitting, no?
Cheers!
Quite Continental 