Beyond Sweet and Savory

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Archives for September 2018

Zucchini blossom corn goat cheese frittata

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Frittata is a humble Italian egg based dish similar to an omelette but enriched by cheeses, meats, and seasonal vegetables.  This zucchini blossom corn goat cheese frittata is perfect for anytime of the day and showcases summer’s freshest ingredients.

Given how much we like eggs, it’s only natural that we’re crazy for frittata.  Frittata is a humble Italian egg based dish similar to an omelette but enriched by cheeses, meats, and seasonal vegetables.  I have a different version for every season, asparagus, ramps, and fava beans in the spring, zucchini blossoms in the summer, mushrooms in the fall, and squash in the winter.  This summer, I’ve been loving the sweet corns from the farmers market and decided to add it to my usual zucchini blossom frittata and it turned out to be a great combo.

For this zucchini blossom and corn frittata, I added goat cheese due to its tanginess which provided a nice contrast with the sweetness of the summer vegetables. If you don’t like goat cheese, ricotta or feta also works well.  Just serve the frittata with a handful of soft herbs like chives, dill, basil, or microgreens.

I love frittata because you can make it ahead and serve it anytime of the day.  Leftover can be served warmed, room temperature, or even cold. I once packed leftover frittata for a long flight and it saved my life.   

If you like eggs, check out these recipes: ramp and ricotta baked eggs, spring egg tart, and chicken and egg breakfast tart.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram.  We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.

5 from 6 votes
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Zucchini blossom corn goat cheese frittata
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Resting time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Frittata is a humble Italian egg based dish similar to an omelette but enriched by cheeses, meats, and seasonal vegetables.  This zucchini blossom corn goat cheese frittata is perfect for anytime of the day.

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: corn, eggs, frittata, goat cheese, zucchini blossoms
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 6 organic, medium eggs
  • 1/2 cup 2% organic milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 8-10 zucchini blossoms
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 2 oz goat cheese
  • 2 tbsps chives for serving
  • 1 tbsp chive blossoms for serving
  • a handful of dill for serving
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

  2. In a non-stick, oven proof frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and sautee the shallots until soft for about 3 minutes

  3. Add the corn and cook for another 2 minutes.

  4. While the corn is cooking, in a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until well combined. 

  5. Place the zucchini blossoms in the pan a single layer.

  6. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until it begins to set around edges, lifting frittata with spatula and allowing eggs to flow underneath, about 5 minutes

  7. Once the eggs have set on the bottom, dot the top of the frittata with goat cheese and place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes until the top sets.

  8. Remove the frittata from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

  9. When ready to serve, garnish with chive, chive blossoms, and fresh herbs.

Gambas al ajillo garlic prawns tapas

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Gambas al ajillo is a delicious classic Spanish tapas that is flavorful, garlicky, and can be made in a matter of minutes.

gambas al ajillo

We love to entertain, whether it’s having family and friends over for a barbeque or a casual weekend dinner with light bites and lots of good wines.  When we entertain, we like to keep the food simple and focus on our company. To make it easy and fun for our guests, we love to serve small plates and tapas.  

gambas al ajillo

Over a decade ago, we discovered J. Lohr Vineyard & Wines while living in the Bay Area and couldn’t be more excited to partner with them to share our take on the classic gambas al ajillo.  One of my favorite dishes to cook is gambas al ajillo or garlic prawns. In a few minutes you get a taste of this delicious Spanish classic without the long flight to Spain.

gambas al ajillo

Traditionally this would be cooked in a flameproof terracotta dish and served directly in the dish.  If you don’t have one, you can use a regular frying pan like I did. The prawns can be peeled before cooking, but I like to keep the shells and heads on so they don’t shrink during the cooking process.  Chopped garlic, Cayenne chillies, a splash of Chardonnay, and a touch of paprika add so much flavor to these prawns.

gambas al ajillo

These gambas al ajillo are perfect cold or warm and with a glass of J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay.  With flavors of white peach, floral, citrus, baking spices, and honey, this Chardonnay is refresh, smooth, and perfect for pairing with seafood.  Besides pairing J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay with these garlic prawns, we also enjoy it with prawn and tomato orzo and seafood paella.

In addition to serving our guests these gambas al ajillo, we also add a few other tapas like pimientos de padron (fried padron peppers), marinated olives, marinated anchovies, or pan con ajo y tomate (bread scrubbed with garlic and tomatoes) depending on what we can find at the market.  While the menu might change, our wine of choice will always be J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay, because it’s perfect for just about any recipe or occasion.

gambas al ajillo

This post was sponsored by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.  All opinions are mine.  Thank you for supporting the brands that support Beyond Sweet and Savory.

5 from 7 votes
gambas al ajillo
Print
Gambas al ajillo
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

 Gambas al ajillo is a delicious Spanish classic tapas that can be made in minutes with a handful of ingredients.

Course: Appetizer, Tapas
Cuisine: Spanish
Keyword: Garlic prawns, Tapas
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 dried dried Cayenne chillies (or other dried chillies)
  • 1 pound raw prawns (with heads and shells on)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • 2 tbsps chardonnay (J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay)
  • 1/4 cup small handful of fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
  • Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions

  1. In a wide frying pan over med heat, add the garlic, chillies, and gently fry for 1 minute until the garlic is softened but not browned.

  2. Turn up the heat to high, add the prawns in a single layer, paprika, and salt and fry for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook for another minute until the prawns turn pink.

  3. Serve the prawns immediately with a chopped parsley, extra salt, and lemon wedges. Be careful not to burn yourself as the oil and pan will stay hot for several minutes.