Steak and Potato Frittata with Blue Cheese Butter

With Margie's father in law Pete visiting us for most of the month of February, we needed a nice Saturday morning breakfast today. Cuisine Rapide (CR) has a couple of frittata recipes which have been staples for years. Today's frittata uses some ingredient proportions based on the CR recipe, but differs greatly in main ingredients.

The choice of steak is based on some leftovers in the fridge. Chunks of ham, chicken, or pork would work as well, but you would want to adjust the herb choices. Fresh basil works with most anything, but I felt rosemary and a touch or oregano was a better match for the steak.

We also had some left over blue cheese butter. A half teaspoon on top of a warm frittata slice is more than enough to add a finishing complementary flavor.

We also served this with browned sausages and fresh baked bread using the NYT no-knead recipe.

A classic frittata recipe calls for flipping it in the pan after cooking about 2/3 or 3/4 of the way. However, I've avoided that complex and risky step through effective use of the broiler.


Steak and Potato Frittata


3/4 lb potato, sliced thin
2 T butter
1 red pepper, diced finely
1/2 C red onion, diced finely
1/4 t rosemary (dried). 3/4 t if using fresh

1/8 t oregano (dried). 1/2 t if using fresh

1/2 to 1 C leftover steak, cut into small cubes

10 large eggs
1/4 lb gruyere or other medium white cheese
Pinch of cayenne pepper, salt


1. Pre heat broiler
2. Add butter an potato slices to large, oven proof skillet. Cook 4-5 minutes, until potatoes are softened.
3. Whisk eggs and cheese with cayenne and salt.
4. Add pepper, onion and herbs. Mix with potatoes and cook 2-3 minutes.
5. Add steak cubes and cook 2 minutes
6. Pour egg mixture into pan, incorporate thoroughly, then leave pan alone for 1 minute to allow eggs to begin to set.
7. Gently life edges of cooked egg, tipping pan and allowing more egg to run underneath.
8. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes. Top center of eggs will be not yet be cooked.
9. Place pan under broiler until center of eggs are cooked, and the entire surface is browned.

Using spatula, check a thick part of frittata for doneness. If not fully set, cover pan and rest on stove for 3 or more minutes. Frittata can be covered and kept warm for 10 or 15 minutes before serving, but if covered, it will deflate slightly.

Cut into 6 or 8 wedges, serve with small dollop of blue cheese butter.


Blue Cheese Butter

2 T Blue cheese
2 T butter
1/4 t salt
1/4 to 1/2 t pepper

Allow cheese and butter to soften, then combine all ingredients. Keeps for 1-2 weeks refrigerated.

Migas - Eggs, Bacon, Tortilla

More holiday breakfast. All guests are gone and entertaining is over, but just because this is the middle of a long, long weekend, it seems that a dressed up breakfast is in order.

I'm still in shock that my girls (age 4 and 12) prefer fried eggs to scrambled. Go figure. But that leaves the more creative concoctions for the adults.

This recipe was little more than Mexican ingredients in a lazy-man's omelet. But the addition of large crumbled pieces of fried tortilla (or chips) added an additional element of robustness, much like the thin potato layer in Spanish tortilla (omelet) or certain fritatas.

• 2 medium shallots
• 1/2 poblano pepper, seeded
• 1 jalapeno, seeded, or 1/2 t cayenne
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 C ham, chopped
  
• 2 pieces bacon, crumbled
• 2 C tortilla chips or fried tortilla - 1" pieces
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 t cumin
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 C grated cheese (I had gruyere)

Saute shallots, peppers, garlic, ham. Add crumbled bacon, tortillas, tomatoes and scallion. Whisk eggs with cumin, S&P. Pour over pan, sprinkle cheeses. Low heat to set eggs, don't stir. Cover and allow cheese to melt and center of eggs to set.

Adapted from Migas, Gourmet Cookbook, pg. 630

Start of a Busy Weekend

Saturday Morning Taco Bar for Family

Family breakfast prior to going downtown for the Houston Symphony Orchestra's Christmas family concert - which was great. Bass Santa sang a great version of It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, and did an extended soft shoe. Then to Magnolia for a swim meet for Nora.

No recipe - just leftovers and staples.

• Wheat tortillas
• Lightly scrambled eggs with cream
• Sauteed potato cubes
• Paragon Cheese, sharp cheddar cheese
• Corn
• Sour cream
• Salsa - regional Texas brand. Too watery