A Better Way to Serve Eggs

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

I teach a class in knife skills for home cooks in Los Angeles. The students aren’t expected to wield their blades like Top Chefs, but my fellow instructor, Clifford A. Wright, and I do have them chop, slice, mince and dice often enough to become comfortable in front of a cutting board.

At the end of the class, we usually end up with several pounds of chopped vegetables on hand. A few weeks ago, after dividing up the spoils, my onions, peppers, carrots, zucchini and leeks found their way into frittatas. These flat omelets, which can be eaten hot or cold and pack well in a lunchbox, are a perfect destination for all sorts of vegetables.

If you avoid eggs because you think they’re bad for you, you should reconsider. It was never clear that dietary cholesterol had a significant impact on heart health; saturated fat in the diet is thought to be a bigger culprit (how big is also a matter of dispute these days). The government’s new dietary guidelines acknowledge as much, advising that eating an egg every day will not affect blood cholesterol or cardiovascular health.

Try to find eggs that are not produced en masse by caged chickens. Healthier cage-free chickens produce yellower, more flavorful eggs, and your frittatas will be better for using them.

Onion and Thyme Frittata

This recipe is an adaptation of a Provençal frittata that agricultural workers traditionally carried to the fields for the midmorning repast. The French call it the “harvest omelet.”

3 cups finely chopped onion (slightly more than 1 pound onions)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

8 eggs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons low-fat milk

1. Place the chopped onions in a bowl, cover with water and add the vinegar. Soak for one hour or longer. Drain, rinse and dry on paper towels. (Note: This step is optional, but the onions will be milder if you do it.)

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the thyme. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the onions are lightly colored but not browned, about five more minutes. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool slightly.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, milk and onions. Clean and dry the pan. Return to the burner, and set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Drop a bit of egg into the pan; if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

4. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid, tilt the pan and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula so that it doesn’t burn. It should turn a golden color. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

5. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan, and place it under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for one to three minutes. Watch very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, and shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking. Allow it to cool for at least five minutes and for as long as 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: Six servings.

Note: For four servings, use the same recipe but reduce the number of eggs to six.

Advance preparation: In Mediterranean countries, flat omelets are served at room temperature, which makes them perfect do-ahead dishes. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and they make terrific lunchbox fare. They do not reheat well.

Nutritional information per serving: 191 calories; 3 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 248 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 101 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 10 grams protein