Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Fritatta

A few weeks ago I mentioned that until recently, I didn't own a nonstick pan. I was actually kind of surprised that so many people were surprised by this. When I had a roommate, I used her nonstick pan occasionally, but once I moved out, it was all stainless steel all the time. I had a variety of reason for not purchasing a pan and it took me a long time to find one that I wanted to get. Around that same time, CSN stores contacted me about doing a product review so I decided to use the opportunity to get the pan I had been coveting. I specifically chose the Cuisinart Green Gourmet pan because it's earth friendly and also a great little pan. It does not contain any of the harmful chemicals found in most nonstick pans and it's versatile. It goes from the stove top to the oven (it's also safe in the broiler) and can be heated up to 500 degrees. Plus, the biggest benefit of nonstick cooking is not having to add as much fat to your pan. I chose a smaller size pan because I cook in small batches. I have made everything from fried eggs to fish to pancakes in this pan. I totally love it and it has been a welcome addition in my tiny kitchen.


This past Sunday at the farmers market was a beautiful day. The sun was shining (sort of) and I got to spend time with great friends while we geeked out over cherries! There was also an Amy Poehler sighting, a viking sighting, and other randomness. All in all, a great morning! Most of the time when I go to the market, I have a specific list of things I want to buy. Once in a while, I just stroll through and pick up whatever looks good. This week it was strawberries, cherries, kale, carrots, arugula, and my beloved asparagus. If I could, I would probably eat roasted asparagus every night of the week, but sometimes I want to be a bit more adventurous. I broke out my new pan to make this meal. This fritatta is so good. The salty salmon and mild oniony flavor of the chives are great with the cream cheese. I dressed my arugula simply with a balsamic vinaigrette and paired this with a glass of crisp white wine which definitely helped me feel like I was eating in a classy restaurant instead of sitting home on my couch catching up on trashy TV.

Pan image from CSN Stores

Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Fritatta
(By Esi)



Makes an 8-inch fritatta

8-10 spears pencil-thin asparagus, ends trimmed and cut in half
4 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chives, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 ounces cream cheese, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 ounces very thinly sliced smoked salmon
Arugula for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare an ice water bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the asparagus. Boil for 1-3 minutes until the asparagus is bright green but still crisp. Immediately plunge the asparagus into the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, chives, dill, cream cheese, and season well with salt an pepper. In a nonstick skillet, add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs are set on the bottom. Arrange the asparagus on top of the eggs in whichever way you like.

Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and cook until the top is set 15-20 minutes. Serve a wedge of the fritatta on top of salad with a slice of smoked salmon.

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