I usually have at least a few cookbooks out from the library. They inspire me, entertain me and provide me with a stockpile of recipes to try. Checking out new cookbooks is also a good way to keep up with food trends. You’d think I’d have enough recipes by now, but I can’t seem to stop. . .
I recently checked out Orange, Lavender & Figs by Fanny Slater, and found this gem.
This dish goes together fast if you cook the mushrooms, sausages and onions ahead of time. Once cooked, I stored them in the same container in the fridge, which made it easy to distribute them atop the frittata as it cooked.
I made several substitutions. I used Chicken Spinach Feta sausage and Havarti because I already had them. I used white button mushrooms because the shiitake were a bit shriveled at the store (which spelled them “shitate.” I laughed out loud. I may have hooted). I also added two eggs (noted below), which seemed just right. I’ve altered the instructions to use just one skillet instead of three.
Apple Chicken Sausage, Wild Mushroom and Fontina Frittata
2 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. honey
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. fully cooked apple sausage links (or other flavor)
1 cup shiitake caps or other mushrooms, sliced
8 large eggs
2 tbsp. half-and-half (fat-free is fine)
1 cup grated fontina or other cheese
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
In a large nonstick, broiler-proof skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of the butter over low heat. Add the onion and honey and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and scrape into a bowl.
Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the whole sausages and brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. (If the sausages don’t contain cheese,* you can slice them and then brown them). Remove the sausages from the pan and cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place in the bowl with the onions.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until they are lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add to bowl with onions and sausages.
Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat to broil.
In another a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, thyme and rest of salt and pepper.
Melt the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. butter in the skillet over medium heat When butter begins to foam and sizzle, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Evenly drop the the onions, sausage pieces, mushrooms, and cheese over the eggs. Using a heat-proof spatula, lift up the egg mixture around the edges and tilt the skillet to let the runny uncooked egg on the top go to the bottom. Continue until the frittata is mostly cooked through but still slightly liquid on top, a few minutes.
Place entire pan under broiler and cook 2 to 3 minutes, keeping the oven door slightly open. Rotate pan so frittata cooks evenly and watch it closely.
When the frittata is golden brown and set on top, cut into wedges and serve.
Serves 4 to 6.
*If you use a sausage containing cheese, please follow the directions to brown the whole sausages before slicing them. I sliced first, and ended up with little holes in my sausage slices where the cheese used to be. It all melted out!
Leave a Reply