Kale Chard Frittata or Why Free Range Eggs are Better

Day Two and I still have some rainbow chard, as well as purple kale and a dozen free range eggs so, lacking time and imagination, I decide try them all in a frittata.  But before we get to that, I would like to provide a visual demonstration of free range eggs’ culinary superiority.  Setting aside the moral reason to buy these admitted more expensive organic products, there is a real aesthetic difference between them and regular eggs.  To me, this difference in appearance is representative of free range’s better taste and culinary usefulness.

Here are two single-egg omelets, each made with a large egg, fried in a little butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Even with my limited photographic equipment and skill, I think you can see that the top one is yellower than the bottom.  What might not be as obvious is that it is also thicker and fluffier.  You can taste that colour and the added body makes a difference in omelets and frittatas.  But enough about eggs and on to a recipe using eggs.

Frittata of Purple Kale, Rainbow Chard and Parmesan

Serves 4-6

If you are using older kale you might not want to use the stalks because they can be tough.

 Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• small bunch of purple (or any) kale, leaves removed and chopped, stalks (if using) chopped
• 3 large pieces of rainbow chard, leaves removed and chopped, stalks chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 12 free range eggs
• ½ cup fresh grated parmesan, divided
• salt
• pepper
•  fresh basil for garnish (optional)

With burner on medium-high, heat your oil in a large ovenproof skillet.  The oil will seem like a lot but remember there will still need to be some around when the eggs are added.  If using the kale stalks, add them first and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Next add kale leaves and chard stalks and continue to cook for an additional few minutes until the kale leaves start to wilt.  Add the garlic and chard leaves together and again fry until the leaves start to wilt.  Pour in the vinegar and reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.  (This will help break down the kale, a technique I blatantly stole from Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo, two Italian chefs that now do a lot work for the BBC.)  Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to just below medium.

While the vegetable mix is simmering, break the eggs into a bowl.  Beat them lightly, add ¼ cup of parmesan and season with salt and pepper.  When the vegetables have cooled slightly, pour your eggs in the skillet with them and stir to distribute.  Return to heat and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes or until a slight crust begins form along the side and bottom of the pan.  Use a spatula to check this.

Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven and turn the broiler to low if possible. Put skillet in the oven and broil until the top of frittata starts to brown.  Remove from skillet, sprinkle the rest of the parmesan over, cut into wedges and serve hot or cold.

Look tomorrow for something historically gastronomic.