Local Cooking at Home: A Late Spring Frittata

Now that the CSA season is upon us and local farmers’ markets are coming back to life, we are delighted to have LES resident and chef Carlin Greenstein contributing a weekly seasonal recipe.  Here is her recipe for a  late spring frittata:

Every week we receive a half-dozen eggs in our CSA share from the Stanton Street CSA.  Depending upon the week, I might easily use all six in my daily cooking, while at other times I seem to allow the cartons to pile up in the back of the fridge. This frittata recipe puts 10 eggs to good use in addition to whatever vegetables you might want to throw in the mix. This week, I had plenty of scallions, chard and a handful of cherry tomatoes to use up. Instead of making it in a skillet, I used a glass baking dish and cut it into appetizer-sized bites, perfect for a last-minute nibble with a chilled glass of wine or a quick supper paired with a simple salad.

Scallion, Chard and Tomato Frittata Squares

Yield: 20 bite-sized servings

2 bunches scallions, white and green parts (kept separate), finely sliced on the bias

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch swiss chard, de-stemmed, de-ribbed and chopped

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

10 large eggs

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil an 8×8-inch glass dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Cook white part of scallions and garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chard and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add halved tomatoes, sea salt and pepper to taste, and cook an additional minute. Allow to cool.

Whisk together eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Stir the vegetable mixture and reserved scallion greens into the eggs. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake about 40 minutes in the center of the preheated oven.

Remove from oven when set and allow to cool about 15 minutes.  Invert onto a cutting board and cut into 20 individual squares.

Carlin Greenstein has been creating healthy, seasonally inspired menus as a private chef for 14 years. After receiving her masters degree from New York University in Food Studies and Nutrition, Greenstein completed her certification in Holistic Health and Wellness. She runs a small business, “Chew on This,” promoting local and seasonal eating.