7.30.2012

Rapini & Radish Frittata




Forget spinach and kale, if you want a full-flavored frittata, broccoli rabe's your green. A frequent player in Mediterranean cooking, broccoli rabe (also raab or rapini) is not to be confused with the tree-like vegetable that shares its name -- it sports a pungency that aligns it more closely with turnip or mustard greens. Its distinct flavor is a hard sell to some palates, but a quick blanch or saute is all it takes to knock its raw bitterness down a few notches. 


Eggs are a perfect platform for rapini to shine, and here it gets cozy with peppery radishes in a frittata spiked with two more flavors of the Mediterranean: basil and feta. Dense and favor-loaded, the dish maintains its character served warm, at room temperature, or even cold the next day. (It's especially delicious topped with fresh tomato-basil salsa). 



RAPINI & RADISH FRITTATA

1 large bunch rapini (broccoli rabe), stems removed
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
5 to 6 small radishes, thinly sliced
5 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
Sea salt
Dash crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup crumbled feta 
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Turn on broiler. Bring a pot of water to boil and add rapini. Cook for 2 minutes, drain, and transfer to ice bath to shock it. Drain again and squeeze out the water. 

Heat oil in medium cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium. Add onion and saute until softened and lightly brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add blanched rapini and sliced radishes to the onions. Cook for a few minutes until just warmed through (radishes should still be mostly crisp).

In a medium bowl, whisk 5 eggs with buttermilk, basil, feta, salt and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes. Pour into skillet and stir gently to allow the eggs to seep over and around the veggies. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. When crust has formed around the edges and eggs are nearly set (you can tell by giving the skillet a jiggle), transfer skillet to oven and broil for 4 to 5 minutes until eggs puff up and the top turns golden brown.

Cool briefly before cutting into wedges. Serve warm or at room temp with fresh tomato-basil salsa (recipe below).

TOMATO-BASIL SALSA

1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
Black pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Prepare in advance to allow flavors to meld.

6 comments:

  1. I'm such a fan of rapini, and enjoy making a frittata often because it's so quick and easy to throw together. Looking forward to trying your version soon.

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  3. Prettiest fritatta I've ever seen...looks scrumptious!

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  4. AnonymousJuly 31, 2012

    I LOVE broccoli rabe, which is why I grew this summer, but MY rabe looked nothing like the juicy, broccoli-esque tidbits I've purchased from Whole Foods over the years. The actual rapini from my garden was seriously spicy stuff with no tender shoots, only bitter leaves.

    Only the spec-like cabbage beetles seemed to love, or even like, it.

    The visitors to my chef-friendly garden spit my poor rapini out (as inedible the Catalogna I grew a few beds over) and wondered what the heck I was doing with such icky green stuff. As a veggie gardener, the reviews were like insults aimed at my very own children, but I agreed with them nonetheless - the rabe was crap.

    So this pizza looks delicious and when I get over my own tumultuous relationship with my own rapini, I will make definitely it. I might be the only one at the table, but such is life in http://themuddykitchen.com/

    Thanks for the lovely and inventive R&R recipe. I will pass it on to my finest pizza-making friends and my bitter-greens-loving crew!

    xx
    Jennifer

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    1. Cheers to you for the growing attempt, Jennifer! And thanks for such a lovely note.

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  5. Looks amazing! Will try it..no excuse as I live by mediterranean Sea in beautiful southern Spain....congrats..your pics are lovely..x
    Eleonore from foodrustic.blogspot.com

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