August 1: Seafood Frittata with Fennel, Orange, and Arugula Bread Salad

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 pound small, raw deveined and peeled shrimp
1 6-ounce tub fresh lump crab meat, picked over
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 eggs
   A splash of cream or half-and-half
   Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 4-ounce logs goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 pound day-old chewy farm-style bread, cubed (3 cups)
5 cups trimmed, cleaned and chopped arugula
1 fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced, plus a few fronds, chopped
2 navel oranges, peeled and chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet with oven-safe handle over medium to medium-high heat. To the pan, add 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, thyme, red pepper flakes, half of the onions, salt, and pepper.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook until pink and firm. Add the crab, separating it into bits as you drop it into the pan.

Beat the eggs with salt and pepper, the cream, and lemon zest. To the shrimp mixture in the skillet, add the crumbled goat cheese and the lemon juice. Follow directly with the seasoned beaten eggs.

Lift and settle the eggs in the pan as they brown on the bottom. When the eggs are set but remain uncooked on top, transfer to the oven for 7 to 8 minutes, until the frittata is golden brown and puffy.

Make the salad by combining the bread with the remaining red onion, the fennel, oranges, and arugula. Dress with the vinegar and EVOO. Season the salad with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Serve the frittata from the hot skillet and cut into wedges at the table. Serve the fennel, orange, and bread salad alongside.

4 SERVINGS

This is the variation of the Frittata I made at Easter. It is really good. I love the goat cheese and the shrimp in with the eggs. Just imagine how good this would be with a pie crust like a quiche. Talk about indulgent. Mmmm... Anyway, the salad was good, and even better the second day. I left out the part about soaking the chewy bread in water and wringing it out. It got just moist enough from the dressing without getting soggy; it was perfect. I also changed the recipe to cook the onions before adding the shrimp, so the shrimp wouldn't get overcooked. It turned out excellent. I did have to cook it just a little more than was called for... probably because my pan was a tiny bit too small.