Dani Goes South

Having people over for breakfast is one of those things that, to me, sounds great, but cut to asking like 7 people how they like their eggs, and I'm already mentally checked out and having some V deep regrets by egg order number 3. My parents always seem to pull this off with ease, and until I fully learn their octopus-arm ways, allow me to point you in the direction of this frittata.

First of all, this whole shebang starts with a base layer of rosemary roasted potatoes, so you know good things are happening. Then kale and mushrooms sauteed with butter and garlic get piled on, along with bacon, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and lots of scallions. Then the fluffy egg situation gets poured in, and then topped with more feta and scallions. Additionally, I realized after I made this, that it's totally gluten free. Happy accident! This couldn't be easier to throw together, and is totally impressive enough to make for the aforementioned breakfast get together, where you're trying to avoid cooking eggs 9 ways.

Preheat your oven to 400F and thinly slice 10 baby potatoes in 1/4" thick slices. If you have a mandolin, that would come in handy here, but I don't, so I just sliced away. Drizzle with a scant amount of olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and your rosemary. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. You want some variance in color and texture. Having some pieces more tender and others more crunchy is 100% ideal.

In a cast-iron skillet on medium heat, add 5 strips bacon, cut into matchsticks, and cook until golden-brown. Leave the bacon fat in the pan. In a separate pan, add 4 tbs butter, and heat on medium-high. Add your mushrooms, sauteing until golden-brown, adding your kale and garlic at the end, sauteing 2-3 minutes more. Season at the end with salt and pepper (The reason I wait until the end, is that by seasoning mushrooms at the beginning of the cooking process, it releases their moisture, and they won't brown as well. Hot tip. Pun intended.). Set your kale/mushroom/garlic mixture aside in a bowl, and get your egg mixture ready.

In a large liquid measuring cup, or bowl, crack 8 eggs (9 if you're using organic and they're smaller. I used 9 for this, but my eggs seemed uncharacteristically small, so just use your best judgment), and whisk together with 4 tbs whole milk. Don't season your eggs for two reasons: 1) It will make them grey, and we're not here for that. 2) There is a LOT of salt going on in this frittata between the bacon, feta, and roasted potatoes which are going to be inside of the egg. We're going to add dose of salt and pepper on top at the end, and trust me, you won't need it inside of the egg mixture itself.

With a paper towel, distribute the bacon fat around the perimeter of the cast iron pan, making sure to pick up some of the excess (there should only be about 2 tablespoons of drippings). Line your baby potato slices around the surface of the pan. If you have extra slices, just add them in covering any slight air pockets. It doesn't have to be perfect, it's all going to fuse together in the oven, so don't get too fussy with the placement. Next, add your mushroom and kale mixture atop the potatoes, followed by all but about a tablespoon of your bacon, feta, and scallions, and then add in your cherry tomatoes (I like to save a few to dot along the top so they get extra blistered after I add in the egg mixture). Pour in your egg mixture, and top with your reserved bacon, feta, scallions, and a few tomato slices if you wish.

Cover with foil, and place in your 400F oven for 20 minutes, uncovering, and cooking for another 25 minutes.

While this is cooking, make your hollandaise. Heat 6 tbs butter in a small saucepan on low, and wait until it's really hot. In a blender, combine your egg yolks and lemon juice, and blend for 15 seconds. On low, slowly stream in your butter, a few tablespoons at a time, and blend until the mixture is really thick. Season with salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper. This sauce can be made up to an hour in advance. To reheat, just blend with 1 tablespoon hot water.

This frittata is such a perfectly satisfying, all-in-one breakfast vehicle. Between all the bacon, feta, and veggies inside the frittata, and the hollandaise sauce, it almost feels across between a Benedict and an omelet. It would even be delicious for lunch or dinner alongside a bright, green salad. As a side note, I've been silently pondering the fact that my body might feel better with less gluten, and as a working-from-home lady who ate this frittata SEVERAL times in a 5 day period, even with bacon and feta, it still felt incredibly light.

On another note, how're those weekend plans coming? Someone here (me) broke their memory card (frittata be kiddin' me), and lost like, roughly 6 shoots worth of pictures (still me). Sure, sure. I had a good, old fashioned meltdown about it. Yeah, I ate tacos about it. But now, that mishap has taken shape into new shoots, new background painting, new prop shoppin', and probably this frittata jammed in there somewhere for fuel. I'm actually really excited about it, in spite of yesterday's stress. Lesson? External hard drives, always. Upload those raw files, kids. I know you don't want them, but you can delete them! I'm talking to myself here. Cheers to you, lovely friends.

Frittata with Potato, Bacon, Mushrooms, Kale, Feta & the Easiest Hollandaise

(Serves 6-8)

8 eggs

4 tbs whole milk

10 baby potatoes (I used a mix of purple and yukon gold), thinly sliced

5 strips bacon, cut into matchsticks

1/2 dozen mushrooms (I used crimini), halved or quartered depending on how large they are

3 stalks kale, stems removed, leaves roughly torn

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

2 cloves garlic, chopped

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 scallions, chopped