One of the most exciting – and satisfying – things about assembling a frittata is the freedom you have to put things into it. This could encourage a penchant for cleaning out the refrigerator, but usually without sacrificing the success of the frittata itself (because of the extreme adaptability of the basic formula); that’s what happened this time.

• it was a bell pepper frittata, and the preparation went somewhat along the lines of the one shown in this post, but once you’ve cooked a few frittatas, anything like a detailed recipe seems pretty unnecessary, if not useless; for this one I used 12 ounces of small particolored sweet peppers from Norwich Meadows Farm, garlic from from S. & S.O. Produce Farms, one small leek from Tamarack Hollow Farm, one shallot from Norwich Meadows Farm, bits of 2 small hot peppers (one yellow and one green) from Eckerton Hill Farm, 8 eggs from Millport Dairy Farm, a couple tablespoons of whole milk from from Trickling Springs Creamery via Whole Foods, rosemary from Phillips Farm, marjoram and winter savory from Stokes Farm, thyme from Keith’s Farm, 3 small celery stalks and their greens from Norwich Meadows Farm, Piment d’Espelette from the French Basque (purchased in a small town north of Baie-Comeau, Quebec from the producer’s daughter), a bit of gremolata first prepared for this meal, and ‘Bull’s Blood’ micro beet from Windfall Farms
• the wine was a Spanish (Rueda) white, Bodegas & Viñedos Neo Primer Motivo Verdejo Rueda 2015
• the music was Bohuslav Martinů, ‘Concertino for Piano Trio and String Orchestra’, H. 231, and ‘Rhapsody-Concerto (Memorial to Lidice)’, H. 232

It was a simple assignment: put together an uncomplicated meal with the first red peppers from the Greenmarket and some of the very fresh 16 eggs I had in the refrigerator at that moment.

To make it more interesting, something more than that to which a frittata might otherwise aspire, I also had on hand some other fine ingredients, familiar and exotic, fresh and dry.

 

• a frittata which began with sautéing in olive oil in a 12″ enameled cast iron frying pan half a dozen or so sliced sweet red bell peppers from 9J Organic (in the Union Square Greenmarket), until they had begun to carmelize, followed by some chopped organic garlic and a little bit of cherry bomb (or red bomb) peppers from Norwich Meadows Farm, slivered, sautéed until pungent or softened, and finally some sliced red scallions from Paffenroth Gardens, again, stirred until softened, after which 8 medium eggs from Millport Dairy which had been whipped with a tablespoon or so of milk, salt and pepper, and a handful of mixed herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon, and savory, all from Greenmarket farmers) were poured into the pan, the surface dusted with a pinch or so of homemade French Basque piment d’Espellate (which we had purchased in a small town north of Baie-Comeau, Quebec last year from the producer’s daughter), cooked over a low-to-moderate flame until the edges were fixed, then placed in a pre-heated broiler for a minute or so, or until the entire surface was set, finished with a sprinkling of micro bronze fennel from Two Guys from Woodbridge, removed, allowed to cool for a bit, quartered, and one piece arranged on each of 2 plates, perched on the edge some torn radicchio from Tamarack Hollow Farm,   which was dressed lightly withgood Campania olive oil, D.O.P. Penisola Sorrentina “Syrenum”, maldon salt, and freshly-ground Tellicherry pepper

 

A few simple sweet local dark cherries from Samascott Orchards, in Kinderhook, which are now probably at the very end of their season, were a perfect dessert.

 

 

• the wine was a California (Lodi) rosé, Karen Birmingham Rosé Lodi 2015
• the music was the 1990 opera of Einojuhani Rautavaara, ‘The House of the Sun’, Mikko Franck conducting the Oulu Symphony Orchestra

This is the revisit of a frittata I had put together about a year ago.  What might have made it stand out a little this time, aside from an expected variation in the peppers I chose to incorporate in it, was the fact that I also included some beet juices which remained from a salad a part of a meal prepared a few days back.  The deep red liquor meant a subtle tweaking in both the taste and the color of this otherwise very Italian ‘omelette’.

• small multi-colored bell peppers, plus one Hungarian sweet pepper (light yellow-green in color), all from Lani’s Farm, sliced, sautéed  in a large cast-iron pan until partially caramelized, along with one sliced shallot from Phillips Farm, some sliced garlic from Berried Treasures, and half of one pretty seriously hot, but still supposedly Italian, pepper (although unusual in being maroon in color), from Oak Grove Plantation, added near the end, then 10 small-ish eggs from Millport Dairy, seasoned and fork-whipped, poured into the pan, everything sprinkled with chopped fresh oregano from Stokes Farm, then cooked on a medium flame until the eggs had begun to set halfway into the center depths of the frittata, finished under the broiler and let stand for a few minutes before serving
• the wine was a French (Provence) rosé, Château Saint Baillon 2014 Côtes de Provence
• the music was Mahler’s Symphony Number 5, performed by the Philadelphia orchestra under James Levine

 

We rarely have a dessert course, unless we count cheese, but this evening we enjoyed a favorite, and quite simple, treat, fresh peaches and a great gelato, for the second time in four days (yup, the little spots in the ‘ice cream’ are from the really excellent vanilla)

 

• freestone peaches from Kernan Farms, sectioned, topped with a scoop of Madagascar Vanilla Ciao Bello gelato, drizzled with some Toschi Orzata Orgeat syrup

All of these three [very different] courses were entirely vegetarian.

I’d call each of them a succès d’estime (there were only the two of us to bear witness, so I can’t make say there was any more general acclaim).  Most of the credit goes to the freshness and quality of the ingredients, and the simplicity of the treatments.

The frittata involved a little more procedure than the other two courses, which helps to explain how I slipped up at one point, failing to execute one step at the point when it was indicated. I think however that I made a recovery which might have actually improved a recipe with which I was already taking some liberties with its prescribed herbs;.  It certainly made it appear more complex – and more colorful as well:  The instructions were to introduce into the bowl of whipped eggs, just before they were poured into the pan, the portion (half) of the tomatoes which had been chopped and mixed with garlic, but I missed my cue.  I had no choice at that moment but to spread them on top of the large slices of tomato which I had already spread on top of the eggs once they had begun to cook.

Thinking that the hot broiler might do terrible things to the small pieces of tomato and garlic lying on top of the frittata-to-be, I reached for my container of homemade breadcrumbs and sprinkled some on top, just before slipping the pan under the broiler.

It seemed to work, although I’m not sure the breading precaution was at all necessary.

The frittata was incredibly juicy and delicious; I think it might well have been the best one I’ve ever made.

The dessert was determined pretty much by the perfect ripeness of some white peaches (my favorite) which I had kept on the windowsill for two days, and some additional tasty delights I had on hand.  I hadn’t thought of it as quite as Spanish-ish as the rest of the meal, but, looking back at the ingredients, I think I might be allowed to push the attribution

 

• two handfuls of Shishito peppers from Lani’s Farm, washed, drained, dried, then sautéed over medium high heat in a cast iron pan for a few minutes, stirring, then salted and served on plates
• a tomato and herb frittata, modeled pretty much on this Martha Rose Shulman recipe, incorporating 8 jumbo eggs from Millport Dairy (three of them with double yolks this time!), 3 different colors of large heirloom tomatoes from Norwich Meadows Farm, a mix of chopped fresh herbs (tarragon from from Stokes Farm, and thyme and lovage from Keith’s Farm), finishing with an unauthorized sprinkling of the last of the wood sorrel from Bodhitree Farm
• white peaches from Troncillito Farms, sliced into eighths, drizzledwith Toschi Orzata Orgeat syrup, and sprinkled with a bit of turbinado sugar, topped with a dollopof Madagascar Vanilla Ciao Bello gelato, and sprinkled with some ground hazelnuts I keep tightly-sealed in a jar in the freezer
• the wine with the first two courses was a California rosé, F. Stephen Millier Angel’s Reserves Rosé Lodi 2014
• the music was from Counterstream, Gloria Coates, String Quartet No. 3, the first two movements here, the final movement here

 

This entrée was an improvisation.  I had the ingredients on hand, I had a lot of confidence in their quality, and I wanted to use them while they were still fresh.

I should explain that the image should have represented a proper wedge (one quarter of the very juicy frittata), but it managed to attract some of the vegetables belonging to it neighbors.

• small multi-colored bell peppers from Norwich Meadows Farm, sliced to form large (ish) pieces, sautéed  in a large cast-iron pan until partially caramelized, with one sliced shallot from Phillips Farm, some sliced garlic from Berried Treasures, and one small, finely-chopped Thai pepper (also from Norwich Meadows Farm) added near the end, then 10 small pullet eggs from Norwich Meadows Farm, seasoned and fork-whipped, poured to the pan, everything sprinkled with chopped fresh oregano from Central Valley Farm, the frittata finished under the broiler once the eggs had begun to set halfway to the center
• the wine was a Spanish red, Flavium Crianza Bierzo 2006, a Leon, from from Phillipe Wine