Frittatas in my mind are inexorably tied to Samantha Irby’s brunch exploits. She loves a Frittata and has written about them extensively. Sam, who has written lovely, detailed descriptions and recipes for her favorite brunch food and often share pictures on Instagram, always makes me feel like I could pull one off just as impressive. I’m not sure that’s the case, but here is an attempt.
Bacon, onion, and mushroom are a combination that goes swimmingly together. Add that smoky saltiness to umami all swimming on the sweetness of sweated onions is heavenly. Also, I am a bit of a fanatic about eggs. Through the pandemic, I have fretted about many things, but running out of eggs was high on the list. For a while, the shelves were bare, and I was stressed. At one point, one of my girlfriends dropped off a dozen just so I’d stop talking about it. Luckily, the supply chain for eggs has rebounded, and I can get them again, but I still make sure I have a couple of dozen in the fridge at any given time. I get it. It’s excessive. But it’s just one of my quirks that you’re going to have to live with. I’m not changing.
For those fleeting moments where I think I can mix 2020 with a lower carb choice, frittata towers over quiche. It’s all eggs and fillings and let’s be honest, what could be easier. Chop a little veg, slice some bacon, cook it all together and pour in some beaten eggs. Let it set in the pan, then finish it in the oven. Service it with a salad of spring greens with olive oil and red wine vinegar, and Voila! You’ve got a tasty meal that works for any meal of the day. And if you’re me, you’ll have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch as well. In summary, frittatas are always a good idea.
Bacon, Mushroom, and Sweet Onion Frittata
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon cut into ½ in strips
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¾ cup sweet onion chopped
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 8 oz mushrooms cremini or white button, sliced
- 10 eggs at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream or half and half
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
- Finely minced chives for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Heat a 10-inch oven-proof frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook slowly until it renders its fat and browns. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 1 tsp of bacon fat.
- Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan and return it to medium heat. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt, cooking and stirring frequently until the onion begins to soften. 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring until the onions become translucent and the mushrooms are soft. 5-6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, thyme, and a sprinkle of Kosher salt and pepper.
- When the mushroom and onion mixture is ready, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the egg mixture and onion and cook, stirring gently until the eggs begin to set. You need to be careful here and not stir until the eggs begin to scramble. Allow the mixture to cook without stirring until the eggs begin to set around the edges. 3-4 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the eggs are set around the edges and just firm in the center. 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the frittata sit for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides with a spatula, cut into wedges, sprinkle with chives, and serve with a simply dressed green salad.
