Garden Party - Smoked Salmon Frittata

Thank you to Susan at Savoring Time In The Kitchen for hosting our garden party of food and fun! You can visit Susan's blog to see her beautiful garden party and all the other participant's lovely gardens. Susan is a clematis lover, and you will be impressed with her green thumb.

We are in the process of installing 20 new windows at our home, so our garden and home are not quite up to par for a garden party this week. When the time is right, I will welcome friends and family to our cozy backyard and will serve some herbal teas, local food products, a tower of petite foods, including some blueberry and white chocolate biscotti that I have been coveting. Perhaps pull out some lovely vintage linens for the tablescape.

Before our window project began, we enjoyed a Garden brunch for Two. Smoked Salmon Frittata and fresh fruit al fresco.



A quick and easy frittata, with fresh chives and basil from the herb garden.



Simple fruit salad, with peaches, cherries, bananas and some chopped lemon balm. Lemon balm is a beauty in the herb garden, and can be used for tea, garnish, salads and potpourri. It also has medicinal qualities, and can be used herbally for insomnia or with peppermint in tea for upset stomach. It adds a lemony flavor to fish, chicken, and vegetables. One of my favorites in the herb garden.











Smoked-Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata

Recipe Adapted from Gourmet Magazine "Everyday Meals"

8 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon, chopped

Whisk eggs, milk, chives, basil, pepper and salt in a bowl.

Heat oil in a 12 inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Pour egg mixture into skillet and scatter cream cheese pieces on top, then cook, lifting up cooked egg around edges using a spatula to let raw egg flow underneath, until frittata is set on bottom and egg is almost set but still moist on top, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle salmon all over frittata, then press on salmon lightly and shake skillet to allow salmon to settle into top.

Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set and slightly puffed and golden. About 1 1/2 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes and loosen edge with spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

I topped with a few thin slices of red onions.

I hope you'll also stop by Designs by Gollumfor this week's celebration of Foodie Friday. You'll find many great posts.



Thanks for coming to the garden party!

Flashback and Foodie Friday - Lemony Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp

Seems the week went by so quickly, which means it's time for another Foodie Friday where I can share a recipe or two and get inspiration from the many wonderful cooks out there. To see what else is cooking for Foodie Friday, check out Gollum's blog. Designs by Gollum



Do you ever plan a meal, just for yourself? I'm used to cooking for a family, and my husband will eat just about anything I cook, but he draws the line when it comes to anything creamy (he despises milk and mayonnaise). So I save certain recipes, when it's just me. I set the table with my girly dishes :-) The black and yellow plates are from the Spode Archive Collection - British Flowers Rosa. First introduced c 1831.

A funny story for those of you who watch the television show "Survivor". Joe tried out for Survivor twice, but wasn't selected. I told him he didn't show enough skin in his photo :-) Well anyways, we were watching the show a few years ago, and the contestants had to drink blood and milk from a cow. He said he would have been in trouble at that point, since he cannot get himself to drink milk. He would drink the blood, but not the milk!!

Here's a recipe that I tried tonight, just for me. (Joe is in the Big Apple for the day, and I hope his arms will be full of goodies when he arrives home a little later tonight) I served this as my main course, it would have been a side dish for Joe :-) And I will have leftovers to take to the office to share.

Lemony Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp
Serves 4 (main course) or 6 to 8 (side dish)
Active time: 45 min Start to finish
May 2009 - Gourmet

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Bring broth and water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add asparagus and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.
Cook onion in 2 Tbsp butter with 1/4 tsp salt in a 4-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed.
Stir in 1/2 cup broth mixture and briskly simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy and tender but still al dente (it should be the consistency of a thick soup), about 18 minutes. (There will be leftover broth mixture.)
Stir in shrimp and cook until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in asparagus, zest, remaining 2 Tbsp butter, parmesan, parsley, and pepper to taste. (Thin risotto with some of remaining broth if necessary.)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Debbie