There are a lotta frittatas out there, but this one’s a keeper

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 25, 2018

I can’t think of another dish that fits as ideally into as many eating occasions as a frittata. It’s right at home in the egg-centric breakfast-brunch world. It makes for a lovely, light lunch or dinner with a salad and a hunk of crusty bread. It is even good nibbled as an afternoon snack.

A frittata also spans the spectrum of everyday to elegant. It’s a weeknight-friendly and economical way to wrangle odds-and-ends in the refrigerator into something scrumptious, while it offers stylish ease fit for entertaining.

Depending on which vegetables, herbs and cheese are used to fill it, a frittata also can reflect any season of the year. This one is clearly an expression of spring — all green and white and yellow. It is full of flavorful produce that defines the season: leeks, asparagus and tender herbs, then dolloped with fresh, soft goat cheese (chevre).

That bounty of vegetables, the chevre’s naturally lower fat content when compared with hard cheeses, and the use of low-fat (1 percent) milk in the base means this frittata is also in the healthful zone.

So, over the next couple of months when you find yourself wondering “What should I make for (fill in the blank)?” there is a good chance this frittata is your answer.

Frittata with leeks, asparagus and goat cheese

This frittata is an edible expression of spring: full of flavorful seasonal produce and dolloped with fresh, soft goat cheese. It makes for an easy, everyday meal, but also presents beautifully for entertaining.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound bunch asparagus (woody ends trimmed), sliced on the bias into ¾-inch pieces (about 2½ cups)

1 medium leek, white and light-green parts, well rinsed and chopped (about 2 cups)

¼ cup chopped parsley leaves

¼ cup chopped plus 8 whole chives

7 large eggs

¼ cup low-fat milk (1 percent)

½ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre)

Heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and leeks and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender. Stir in the parsley and the chopped chives.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the skillet, covering them evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the egg mixture has set around the edges but is still loose in the middle.

Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler element; preheat the broiler.

Distribute the cheese over the top of the eggs in 10 to 12 dollops, and then scatter the whole chives on top. Place the skillet on the rack under the broiler; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the surface is set and golden brown. Allow to rest for a minute or two before cutting into 6 wedges.

Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings. Nutrition per serving: 160 calories, 11 grams protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 340 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 3 grams sugar, 220 milligrams cholesterol.