Potato Basil Frittata

March 26, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, and her cookbooks are already a source of guidance for basic recipes but her show serves as my inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts. So now that I’ve got the essentials down it’s time to branch out. I’ll choose a recipe from an episode of the Barefoot Contessa to try in my tiny New York kitchen. We’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Potato Basil Frittata; Image: Laura Messersmith — Potato Basil Frittata; Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Episode: “Barefoot Celebrations: Cocktails for a Crowd”

The Set-up: Ina’s throwing a garden party for the East Hampton Historical Society

The Menu: Caramelized Bacon, Potato Basil Frittata, Roasted Shrimp with Green Goddess Dressing

0:33 – Ina loves the East Hampton Historical Society and decided to throw them a party in her garden complete with a Champagne Cocktail Bar in their honor. Note to self: join the EHHS.

0:54 – Ina clearly subscribes to the “surprise and delight” philosophy of entertaining – no pigs in a blanket for her just straight up BACON. You heard me. She’s serving bacon as an appetizer, which is Mike’s idea of heaven.

1:07 – So, technically it’s Caramelized Bacon which involves a topping of brown sugar, pecans, cayenne pepper, and maple sugar. Ina says what we’re all thinking at this point, “this is crazy-good on bacon.”

2:01 – Ina claims this is one of the more “outrageous” appetizers she’s ever made, but let’s be fair, you know this will be gone fast than you can say “caramelized bacon.” Less bacon, please, said no one ever.

4:39 – Now we’re treated to a tour of several charmingly preserved historic sites in East Hampton. Perhaps some ideas to add to your itinerary?

5:17 – Back to Ina’s to make the Potato Basil Frittata, an old favorite from her catering days. Ina has a ton of advice for successful cocktail party planning and proceeds to share about 1,000 great tips - write these down!

5:55 – Pro Tip #1: plan for 5-6 different appetizers that balance between meat, fish, and vegetarian so all your guests will find something they can eat. Pro Tip #2: Don’t try to make everything yourself - buy some, assemble some, and make some. Pro Tip #3: Choose appetizers that can be served at room temperature so you can make them ahead of time. And, finally Pro Tip #4: When calculating amounts assume a count of 6-8 pieces per guest. Whew! Did you get all that?

10:13 – Proceeding with the frittata, Ina adds a little flour to the egg, ricotta, and gruyere mixture which she says gives it some body and makes it easier to cut into squares later. This advice may qualify as Pro Tip #5… she’s really racking them up!

12:24 – The Caramelized Bacon is done and the Potato Basil Frittata is in the oven, so now we’re out in the garden. Ina cuts the most gorgeous pale cream dahlias for the table. It must have been high summer when she filmed this because everything is in full bloom and the afternoon sun is streaming through the hedges. I may have paused the episode for several moments to soak it all in.

13:18 – Next up some flower arranging lessons. Pro Tip #6: Arrange the stems as they grow in the garden - differing heights, keep the un-opened buds and a few leaves for greenery - building the bouquet in your hand. Adjust the placement as needed and then cut the stems to the right height for your vase.

14:11 – More expert advice on buffet tables - I can barely absorb all these tips! Pro Tip #7: fold the floor length white tablecloth into a boxed pleat to keep the extra fabric out of the way and top with a patterned (in this case floral) square cloth. Placing the patterned cloth on the diagonal is a little jauntier (my word, not hers.)

14:56 – Now Ina is ready to set up the cocktail components. A punch bowl for chilling the champagne and sparkling water is placed in the middle with graduated rows of glasses on either side. She also puts out Cassis, Framboise, brandy, and several juices and fruits, so that guests can make their own concoctions. I can’t wait to see some boozy historians…

19:35 – Ina is making the Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Green Goddess Dressing next, but pauses for a moment to encourage us to send handwritten invitations and require RSVPs.

19:39 – I’m 100% on board with RSVP-ing, but I swear the only handwritten invitation I’ve ever received was for a 6th grade birthday sleepover. The ensuing party was later re-named “Sleeping Beauty and the Night Raiders,” and we’re still apologizing to Kate’s mom for the ruckus… Sorry! /end digression.

21:26 – Okay, the shrimp are doing their thing (olive oil, salt, pepper) in the oven and Ina is “updating” the Green Goddess Dressing recipe with scallions and basil in place of tarragon. I usually avoid eating or serving things that have strong garlic or onion flavors at social events, but Ina’s the expert here, so I’m trying to trust her judgment. It is a lovely pale spring green – so that’s a plus.

27:34 – Now we’re onto the ‘buy’ and ‘assemble’ part of the menu. First, Marcona almonds tipped into a silver dish and sprinkled with sea salt. That is literally the only step.

27:42 – Second, smoked chicken breast sliced, plated, and served with store-bought horseradish sauce. Party prep is now D-O-N-E and I think plating took longer than the preparing. Clever girl.

28:12 – The EHHS guests have arrived and are strolling in the garden sniffing the lavender, the Veuve Cliquot is flowing, and Ina has enlisted a few guests to pass some appetizers. I would happily carry a platter of bacon around if it meant I could hang with Ina for an afternoon. Call me!

29:00 – The party concludes at the invitation-specified 8pm on the dot and Ina’s done for the day!

Final Thoughts:

So many good Pro Tips in this episode for successful cocktail parties – drinks, appetizers, flower arrangements – I need to remember these next time we entertain!

I love how practical Ina is. Similar to her advice in the “Make It Fast” episode, many of these recommendations are stress-reducing and make hosting more enjoyable.

Mike tried to get me to serve bacon apps at our holiday party, and now that it’s Ina-approved I think he’s going to get his way next time…

Lessons Learned: Unlike the recipes I’ve shown so far, I have actually made the Potato Basil Frittata before and I want to point out that there are two recipes that differ mainly in cooking time and ingredient quantities: Number One uses a sauté pan for cooking the potatoes and baking the frittata. Number Two is the recipe Ina made in the episode. The potatoes are cooked in a sauté pan and then transferred to a separate sheet pan to bake the frittata.

For my attempt I followed quantities given in Number One since its yield is more appropriate for two people, but used a pie plate to bake the frittata since my sauté pan was a little too small. I find that the potatoes take a few minutes longer - around 15-20 minutes to soften - but this gives me plenty of time to crack eggs, grate the gruyere, and chop basil, so the work flow is nice and relaxed.

This is definitely a small kitchen friendly recipe - I used a large sauté pan, pie plate, one mixing bowl, a chef’s knife, cutting board, and a few basic kitchen tools (measuring cups, spatula, etc.)

Some additional good news and a thought – the frittata reheats beautifully (even in the microwave) and since it’s easy to put a piece in a to-go container it makes a great leftover to take for lunch. Plus, this base can lend itself to other combinations - ham & Swiss with broccoli, spinach & roasted red pepper with parmesan - really whatever you have a little bit of in the fridge can be added in.

The Verdict:

This frittata is one of our favorite dishes and when Mike heard I was making it this week his ears definitely perked up. It’s always nice to have a go-to vegetarian option up your sleeve, and even for meat-eaters the eggs and cheese offer enough protein to make this satisfying. I’ve made it for both brunch and dinner with equal crowd-pleasing success. Definitely add Potato Basil Frittata to your repertoire A.S.A.P.

Maddie, Year Three

March 24, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Life

Perhaps it’s a bit silly or sentimental to love a dog so much, but we love our puppy-daughter and I’m the Chief Whimsy Officer of the Messersmith family, so I figure this type of post goes with the territory. This is a letter to Maddie pup on her third anniversary as a Messersmith.

Maddie-pup, Image: Laura Messersmith — Maddie-pup, Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Dear Maddie,

I’m typing with one hand right now because I need the other one to scratch your head.

This weekend marks three years since you came home to live with us. I admit when your Papa and I were contemplating getting a dog we were nervous about the responsibilities we knew would be part of being good dog parents. But, we also remembered how much we loved the dogs we grew up with and wanted to experience that kind of affection again.

I’m so glad we took the plunge and found you, Fuzzy Bear, I’m so glad we came to meet you at the adoption event on Mockingbird Ave that Saturday afternoon in March. You were three years old and some kind-hearted person found you a few weeks earlier with no tags and no microchip. You were also pretty darn sick with heartworm. We heard you had some close calls during treatment, but as we discovered later when squirrels were in the picture, you’re pretty stubborn and pulled through even when it looked bleak.

I don’t know what else to call our first meeting other than puppy-love at first sight. A short walk, some snuggles, and a proprietary snooze at my feet sealed the deal. Looking back now I think it was a lucky coincidence for a strawberry blonde dog and two people with Irish ancestry to meet on St. Patrick’s Day.

You came to live with us about a week later and we dubbed you Maddie, although since then you’ve picked up about a dozen nicknames ranging from Ladybug to Bright Eyes. Your arrival coincided with a busy season of work travel for Papa, so the two of us spent a lot of Q.T. in those early weeks. Since then we’ve taken countless walks together – first exploring Dallas and now making New York home - and my arm has gone numb many times as I lean over the side of the bed to stroke your soft ears. The bond that we formed has only grown stronger.

I love your hopeful expression when a Honey Nut Cheerios box appears at breakfast, I love how excited you get when it snows, I love how you bring a toy to greet every visitor.

Your Papa and I love you Maddie-pup and we’re so glad that you’re a Messersmith.

Love,

Mama

Scouting: Plonk

March 21, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Plonk Wine Club | Image: Laura Messersmith — Plonk Wine Club | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Does this scenario sound familiar? It’s Friday night you’re cooking a great meal to kick off the weekend and some friends are on the way over. You’ve already picked up the ingredients for dinner, but you don’t have any wine in the house. You have two choices – grab something off the grocery store shelf (assuming you live in a state where this is legal) or make a second stop at the wine shop and try to make sense of the labels hoping you’ll pick something that pairs well with your menu. Neither option seems especially appealing, and here in New York carrying one more thing is never something I'm interested in, but that’s what I have to do nine times out of ten.

So, you can imagine how psyched I was when Mike told me he signed us up for Plonk Wine Club. It's similar to other subscription-based businesses: you choose a level, package, and length of commitment. In our case we like both red and white wine, so we’re in the Mixed Wine Club and each month Plonk sends us four bottles selected from wineries around the world.

The term “plonk” (slang for cheap wine) strikes me as ironic given the quality of the wine we've received. So far we’ve tried two bottles from March’s shipment and have been really impressed with founder and resident wine expert Etty Lewensztain’s choices.

Plonk’s specialty is introducing members to wines made from lesser-known grapes and sourced from a variety of regions. Our first shipment had bottles from Sicily (Italy), Regnie (France), Santa Ynez Valley (California), and Macedonia (Greece). I need all the help I can get and since these are all 100% new to me I love that the shipment also includes detailed tasting notes, recipes from Food52, and suggested food parings to help put together successful combinations.

If you’re in the same boat and want to expand your wine knowledge and discover some great new grapes I’d definitely check out Plonk. Our plan is to build up a reserve of bottles that are great quality, but not so expensive that we feel like we have to save them for red letter day (ie. $25 or less). We’d like to keep a few in reserve for those spontaneous Friday night dinners, but at the rate we’re going that may not happen! Could be worse, right? Happy Friday!

Chicken with Shallots

March 19, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Make It Fast”

The Set-up: Ina shares some of her best recipes and tips for a quick dinner party.

The Menu: Roasted Salmon with Green Herbs, Chicken with Shallots, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Sugar Snap Peas, Haricot Vert with Herb Butter

0:53 – The first recipe up is Roasted Salmon with Green Herbs and I can tell this is going to be a speedy one, the up tempo “getting things done” music is in the background.

1:02 – Pro Tip #1: Outsource. Ina asked to have the salmon skin removed at the fish counter. This is a good call; presumably their fish handling skills are better than mine (middling to poor at best!)

1:58 – Now for the green herbs. Ina does not recommend trying to pick off the parsley leaves one by one. “You’ll go crazy!” She doesn’t say specifically, but I think this advice stands whether you’re in a hurry or not. We all have better things to do, yes?

2:32 – I agree with Ina that the orange of the fish (aka salmon colored) does look really nice with the bright green herbs. And, she says that since the cooking time is short (10 minutes) they should keep their vibrant color.

3:07 – Now we’re getting a table setting lesson from Ina’s friend William Yeoward a stylist and designer who also has a shop and showroom in London.

3:23 – Over in the U.K. William gives us 5 tips for setting a “lovely table.” One: potted plants instead of cut flowers, two: pre-set small snacks like breadsticks, three: a pitcher of water with mint and lime, four: assemble small picnic bags with the place settings and ask your guests to set their own five: give the cloth bag to your guests as a party gift.

4:55 – I’m sorry William, you have a charming British accent but your advice is suspect. Making your guests set the table seems very much like cheating, and I think putting those bags together – glassware and all! – would take me longer than 5 minutes. Good effort, though!

5:05 – Back at Ina’s to take the salmon out of the oven. She starts to tell us that if the salmon is firm to the touch and springs back a little that it’s done, but then goes full disclosure and reveals that the only way she knows for sure is to cut into the center and check. It’s okay, Ina, we’re friends here in the circle of trust.

10:22 – Time for quick dinner option number two: Chicken with Shallots. Ina recommends the more ‘elegant’ chicken breast with the skin on and bone removed – outsourcing again, but this time it’s the butcher who comes to the rescue. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen chicken sold this way, so definitely a special request.

10:31 – Pro Tips #2 & #3: To ensure a good sear on the chicken pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning, AND don’t try to move or turn the pieces while it’s searing.

11:13 – Over to Bridgehampton Florist for 5 minute flower arrangement session with Michael Grim. I think he took my critique of William to heart because he’s talking like this is a MicroMachines commercial. Whew!

11:42 – Michael, wearing a fetching robin’s egg blue sweater, recommends making a flower ball using a monochromatic flower like peonies. This actually seems pretty simple so while I think 5 minutes might be cutting it a little short I’ll let this one slide.

12:39 – We’re back with Ina to finish up the chicken and while the pieces finish cooking she’s reducing white wine (pinot grigio), lemon juice, cream, butter and shallots to make a sauce, using which she compares to beurre blanc.

13:25 – I have an embarrassing fondness for beurre blanc sauce, so I’m guessing I would L-O-V-E this. I think Ina agrees, “Oh my God this looks delicious!”

19:19 – Okay, now some easy side dishes to go with the quickie main courses. First: Roasted Cherry Tomatoes which is literally tomatoes + salt & pepper + olive oil + oven then wait 20 minutes. Ina’s right, it took me longer to type that than for her to prep the dish.

20:04 – Onward! Second: Sugar Snap Peas sautéed in olive oil with salt & pepper. I’m noticing a theme… Third: blanched Haricot Vert - aka French string beans - tossed with herb butter (softened butter + salt & pepper + scallions + dill + parsley)

27:13 – Ask Ina time! The first question is how to be calm before a dinner party. Pro Tip #4: Organize your menu so that one dish cooks in the oven, one on the stove top, and one is done ahead and can be served at room temperature. This is such good advice as is the rule that Jeffrey can’t talk to Ina in the 15 minutes before guests arrive. “Don’t talk to me I’m too busy!!” Preach.

28:10 – Question number two is how many appetizers to serve so that guests aren’t too full for dinner. Pro Tip #5: Serve two options, make sure they’re something store-bought, on the lighter side, and don’t require additional cooking. Ina’s examples are salted cashews and prosciutto wrapped melon.

28:56 – Question three is a request for dessert ideas that travel well and appeal to a wide variety of tastes. Ina suggests fresh strawberries tossed in balsamic vinegar, sugar, and black pepper served over vanilla ice cream with a little lemon zest. That seems to fit the bill and, that’s a wrap, folks!

Final Thoughts:

The timing of a dinner party is always the hardest for me and Pro Tip #4 is such a game changer. It makes so much sense!

I’m a little relieved that my vegetable ‘recipes’ sound pretty similar to Ina’s – make vegetables warm, put butter on them, season and serve.

The thought of Ina chasing Jeffrey out of the kitchen in a pre-dinner party meltdown made me laugh. Not because I can relate or anything…

Lessons Learned: I am all about fast and easy recipes, so I was excited to try some new ones and since I’ve made salmon several times already I decided to go with the Chicken with Shallots. This recipe is really easy, requires very few ingredients, and it does come together in about 30 minutes. Honestly, the hardest part was removing the bones from the split chicken breast, so having a professional at the butcher counter do this for you is definitely the best-case scenario. However, I do think that it’s worth it because then the seasoning is directly on the meat and I suspect it makes the cooking process faster too.

Absolutely a small kitchen friendly recipe – I used a cast iron skillet, small sauté pan, chef’s knife, cutting board, and a few basic kitchen tools (measuring cups, tongs, etc.) Something else to note – the oven temperature (425°F) is just about right for roasting vegetables, so putting a sheet pan with asparagus spears in about half way through the cooking time made a side dish easy too.

The Verdict:

Mike and I both really liked this dish and I’m planning to bring it into regular rotation. When cooked according to Ina’s instructions the chicken came out perfectly done, but still juicy. The white wine, lemon, shallot and butter sauce was really bright and flavorful. The addition of the beurre blanc sauce makes this more than “just” chicken, and I have to agree with Ina - this recipe really would be a perfect, no stress dinner for ‘company.’ I love having a dinner idea in my back pocket for times when I want to impress my guest without losing my mind. Always a plus, right?