Valentine’s Week 2016: Smoked Salmon and Wild Mushroom Frittata

C – I love to decorate my food.

You might have noticed the heart-shaped smoked salmon on this lovely frittata. You eat with your eyes first. Sloping food on a plate isn’t too appetizing for me.

Although, sometimes my husband doesn’t appreciate my food decorating. I might do it too often.

He might just think it’s normal now … you know, after four years of eating my cooking and seeing all the fancy plating I do.

When we first started dating, he would comment all the time. Sometimes, he would even be scared to eat it. Now, it’s all just food and he eats it.

I don’t like to ask about my plating, like if it looks good. I don’t like asking too many questions about the meal. There is only one question that matters to me anyway. Does it taste good?

Ok, maybe two questions. Do you like it? It’s pretty rare for him to say no, it’s not good and he doesn’t like it. However, when you have a wife who experiments on about 50 percent of your meals, you might have to say no sometimes.

How pretty the plate is kind of goes on the sidelines.

Maybe I should shake things up and slop a few meals on a plate and see how he reacts.

Or, just do even more over-the-top decorating and create things like this smoke salmon wild mushroom frittata.

Decorating with a heart shape piece of salmon and garnishing with green onions and caviar is pretty over-the-top.

Valentine’s Week 2016: Smoked Salmon and Wild Mushroom Frittata

Recipe type: Mains

Author: Christina

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp canola or grapeseed oil
• 10 oyster mushrooms, cut into halves or quarters if too big
• 10 Hedgehog mushrooms, cleaned
• ½ red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 spring onion, sliced on a bias, plus more for garnish
• ½ Fresno Chili, seeds removed and sliced thinly
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
• ¼ cup Pecorino cheese, grated
• ¼ cup Comte cheese, grated
• 6 ounces smoked salmon, torn into ½ inch pieces
• Caviar for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, heavy cream, a pinch of salt and pepper. Just beat to combine. Don’t over beat. Set aside.
3. On medium high heat in a cast iron pan, place 1 tablespoon of oil and saute mushrooms until softened and slightly golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. In the same cast iron pan, add the remaining oil and red onion. Saute until softened. About 3 minutes. reduce heat if pan is too hot.
5. Add chili peppers, spring onions and a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Place the mushrooms back into the pan. Turn off heat and remove from heat.
7. Add butter into pan and let melt. Mix well.
8. Sprinkle ½ of each of the cheese over the saute vegetables.
9. Top with smoked salmon.
10. Pour the egg mixture over top.
11. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.
12. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top has puffed up and the sides are slightly bubbling.
13. Remove from oven.
14. Used a spatula to loosen the edges and the bottom from the pan.
15. Quickly invert the frittata onto a plate.
16. Let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the egg to settle.
17. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese, spring onions, more smoked salmon and dollops of caviar around the frittata.
18. Serve.
19. Enjoy!

3.1.08

I can’t say that he takes all my plating for granted. There are some days when I make the most beautiful salad and he really appreciates the beauty.

He says something without me asking.