Two never-fail, go-to favourites - frittata and panna cotta - get a flavour makeover with spring greens and fresh cherries.
Serve the frittata with baby spinach or salad leaves, dressed in extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic. You could also top the frittata with feta, for added bite.
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
3 large silverbeet leaves, roughly chopped
finely grated pecorino and crisp bacon rashers (optional), to serve
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs, parsley and chives. Season to taste.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 20cm non-stick, ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook zucchini slices until lightly golden on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper.
In the same pan on a medium heat, add 1 tbsp oil and sauté the garlic, rosemary and thyme until fragrant, and garlic has softened. Add the silverbeet and cook for a minute or until the greens start to wilt. Remove from the heat, and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Heat the remaining oil in the same frying pan over a medium heat. Add the egg mix and cook without stirring until the outside begins to set. Using a spatula, start stirring the eggs, lifting up the set egg so the uncooked egg runs underneath. Continue to cook for a further minute, then spoon the silverbeet mixture and grilled zucchini over the eggs, pressing down gently and spooning some of the raw egg over the top so the vegetables are covered.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook the frittata for 10-15 minutes or until the egg is golden on top and just set.
Serve sprinkled with pecorino, with bacon on the side, if desired.
HOT TIP
- To make individual frittatas, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place grilled zucchini slices around the edges of each cup of a greased muffin tin. Divide half the silverbeet mixture among the cups. Top halfway with the egg mixture, and repeat. Ensure each frittata is well coated in the egg mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the egg is set firm and the tops are golden.
2 leaves titanium-strength gelatin
500ml pouring cream
1 vanilla bean, scraped
50g caster sugar
150g plain Greek yoghurt
100g plain honeycomb, crumbled
Cherry glaze
125g fresh cherries, pitted
25g caster sugar
1 leaf titanium-strength gelatin
Serves 4
To make the panna cotta, soak 2 leaves gelatin in cold water until soft. Place the cream, vanilla bean and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until simmering and the sugar has dissolved.
Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin leaves and stir into the cream mixture until the gelatin has dissolved.
Place the yoghurt in a bowl, add half the warm cream mixture and stir until combined. Stir the remaining cream mix through. Divide the mixture evenly among 4 x 10cm-diameter moulds, cover and place in the fridge until set.
For the glaze, place the cherries, caster sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the cherries are soft. Squash the cherries with a fork to release their juices, then strain.
Soak the gelatin leaf in cold water until soft. Squeeze out excess water, add the gelatin leaf to the strained cherry mixture and stir until dissolved. Allow the glaze to cool so it's at room temperature and just thickened. Gently pour the glaze onto each panna cotta; place in the fridge to set. Serve with honeycomb.
HOT TIP
• You can use any sort of mould, including tumblers or even martini glasses, for the panna cotta.
SOMETHING TO DRINK
Cortese
From Piedmont in north-west Italy, the 2010 Bastasiolo Gavi di Gavi Granée (about $28) would be a great match with the frittata. It's produced with the grape variety cortese. With notes of green apple, pear and grapefruit, the palate is flavoursome and refreshing.
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