Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

The only day of the week that we indulge in a large breakfast is Sunday.  I like to putter in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand and the sun streaming through the windows.  Sometimes breakfast will be standards like bacon and eggs or pancakes and sausages.  But more often then not I will be experimenting with a new idea.  I found a brunch menu from an 1989 Gourmet Magazine.  By the way I think Gourmet was at its peak from the late ’80’s through 1996.  Most of the recipes that I truly love came from that time period.  This menu included a Leek and Potato Frittata and a Bacon, Tomato and Basil Salad.

We loved this.  The frittata was full of potatoes, leeks, Gruyere and Parmesan cheese.  The vibrant tomatoes were lightly dressed with oil and vinegar and enhanced with crispy bacon and fresh basil.  The only other thing that would have made this a company worthy brunch would have been sweet scones, muffins or croissants.  David would add some more bacon slices to that list.  I plan to make this again when our friends are here for “Bike Week” this weekend.

Since it was just the two of us this past weekend, I halved the recipe and cooked it in a 10″ skillet.  We still had leftovers and the slices of frittata were a quick breakfast zapped in the microwave earlier in the week.  The leftover tomatoes made a great topping for salads too.  This is a winner all around.

POTATO AND LEEK FRITTATA

1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
3 cups thinly sliced white and pale green part of leek, washed well and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cook the potatoes in water for 20 to 25 minutes until they are tender.  Drain, cool, peel and cut into thin slices.  In a 12-inch non-stick skillet cook the leek in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it is very soft, and add salt and pepper to taste.  In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of Gruyere, the chives, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, and whisk the mixture until it is combined well.  Stir in the leek and the potatoes.  In the skillet, cleaned, heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking, pour in the egg mixture, distributing the potatoes evenly, and cook the frittata, without stirring, for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edge is set but the center is still soft.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere over the top.  If the skillet handle is plastic, wrap it in a double thickness of foil.  Broil the frittata under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.  Let the frittata cool in the skillet for 5 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge, and slide the frittata onto a serving plate.  Cut the frittata into wedges and serve it warm or at room temperature.  Serves 6.

CHERRY TOMATO, BACON, AND BASIL SALAD

5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
6 slices of lean bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves, or to taste
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil

In a bowl toss together the tomatoes, the bacon, and the chopped basil until the mixture is combined well.  In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.  Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture, toss the salad lightly until it is coated well with the dressing, and garnish it with basil sprigs.  Serves 6.

Printable recipes

We are in North Carolina celebrating our Grandson’s second birthday.  The weather has been cold and snowy.  It was a treat to walk into our Son and DIL’s home for lunch the other day.  Big fluffy flakes of snow coated our hair and eyelashes and the landscape was being quickly transformed from winter brown to winter white.  Opening the door we were greeted with the aroma of freshly baked butterscotch bars and simmering homemade tomato soup.

The children were excited about the snow and there was a festive air to our lunch consisting of Kristen’s soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread.  The soup was piping hot and had a depth of flavor you just can’t achieve by opening a single can.  It was a little smoky from the bacon, bright from the fresh basil and thyme and rich from the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and cream.  That is why I am calling this “The Best Tomato Soup”.  It was indeed the best I have ever eaten.

I think you will agree.

THE BEST TOMATO SOUP

olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots – diced
6 strips of bacon – chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 garlic cloves – diced
2 tbsp. chopped thyme
2 tbsp. chopped basil
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth

Directions 

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook until soft.  Add bacon and cook until golden brown and crispy.  Add garlic, thyme, basil, and tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute or two.  Add white wine to deglaze pan.  Simmer until reduced by 1/3.  Add crushed tomatoes, cream, chicken broth, salt and sugar (to taste).  Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and puree soup in the pot with immersion blender until it reaches the consistency you desire. Return to heat and keep warm on low (or medium low) until you’re ready to eat.

Printable recipe

Today I am posting a recipe from my DIL Kristen.  She made similar crostini for us over the holidays.   She changed the recipe a little since Christmas and likes this version even better.  What is so unique about these crostini is the creamy consistency of the goat cheese spread and the freshness of the tomato and basil garnish.  I thought they would make a great appetizer for a Super Bowl party or for any party for that matter.

Kristen is very dear to me.  She and I have much in common.  She loves to cook and she is very good at it.   But she is also a savvy business woman who runs a very successful online stationery boutique specializing in unique wedding invitations called The Green Kangaroo.  The name of her business came from the title of the book The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo by Judy Blume.  It is a story of a middle child  (which Kristen is) trying to be unique and special. She is both of these in spades.

When she emailed me this recipe and the accompanying pictures, I knew I wanted to share it with you.  I have never had a bad meal from her kitchen.   Thank you Kristen!

I am linking this recipe to Tailgating Time -Super Bowl at Seaside Simplicity.  There are lots of great recipes for your Super Bowl party on this post.

TOMATO-BASIL AND GOAT CHEESE CROSTINIS  (Kristen Klett)

BLT’s have become a tradition for our Labor Day family get togethers at the lake.   This year’s rendition was one of the best we have ever had.  My Daughter-In-Law Kristen is the BLT master craftsman.  Each year she tries something new.

This year, instead of bacon, she made them with pancetta.  The pancetta became extra crispy.

The other components were grilled Italian bread (La Brea Bakery’s Italian Round),  crispy artisan lettuce, mozzarella cheese rounds,  and three kinds of heirloom tomatoes from Nana Darla’s garden.  The lettuce and tomatoes were drizzled with balsamic vinegar and chopped basil.  It was served open-faced.  To keep everything from sliding off, the layers were added in contrasting textures.  The mozzarella stuck to the lettuce and the tomatoes were placed on top of the ridged pancetta.

We devoured two platters of them and felt no guilt as they were free of fattening mayonaise and that extra slice of bread.

The holiday was a celebration of the end of summer and it was made even more special by spending it with our family.

Grandson Cameron enjoyed the water and Aunt Kim and cousin Keenan conquered their fears of jumping from the top of the boathouse.

The end of summer at its best!

There is nothing easier or more forgiving than a frittata.  You can add most anything to it.  It feeds a lot of people and goes together quickly.  This time of year I have been getting tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market, eggs from a farm and herbs from my own herb garden.  Sunday morning is our time to indulge in a big breakfast.  The two of us cannot eat a whole frittata but that doesn’t stop me from making one with eight eggs in a 10″ pan.  We just cut it into wedges and save what is not eaten for another day.  A frittata wedge reheats quickly in the microwave.

I am not bothering to give you a specific recipe because it is so easy.  For this particular frittata I melted a couple of tablespoons of butter in my skillet.  Added chopped onion to cook for a few minutes, added chopped basil and chives, chopped tomatoes and stirred.  Then I added 8 beaten eggs.  It is a good idea to pull your spatula from the edges to the center to move the liquid eggs from the edges.  When the frittata begins to set, put it in a 350 degree oven until the eggs are set.

This is the kind of recipes that Mark Bittman offers in his new cookbook Kitchen Express.  I love this book because he offers simple combinations of ingredients using seasonal food just to give you ideas on what you can do.  All the recipes can be made in 20 minutes or less.

Here is one of his frittata recipes.

PANCETTA AND SPINACH FRITTATA

Beat four eggs; add a handful of freshly grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper.  Cut about a quarter pound of pancetta into small pieces and fry in a tablespoon of olive oil; add a couple of chopped shallots and continue cooking until the pancetta begins to brown and the shallots have softened.  Add a bunch of chopped spinach and cook until wilted and beginning to dry.  Pour in the egg mixture and cook slowly until the eggs just set.  Run under the broiler to brown for a minute if necessary if the top remains runny; serve hot, warm or at room temperature. 

There are creative recipes for everything from soup to sandwiches.  I find the book inspiring.