Caramelized onion, leek, and cheddar frittata

An omelette for eight.

---

• Best for: breakfast or snack (6-8 servings)

• Difficulty: easy

• Time: 1 hour 15 minutes prep (only 15 minutes without fully caramelizing the onions), 35 minutes oven

---

Planning brunch at home? Frittatas are the easier and lighter version of quiche. This version consists of both eggs and egg whites, but you can use solely eggs. The caramelized onions are prepared as they are meant to be, so they take quite a bit of time. If you've got nothing else to do, you might as well go for it. The smell is incredible, and you'll feel very French. Once you have this basic recipe, you can substitute any vegetables, meats, or types of cheese. Some great combinations are asparagus and goat cheese, the classic ham and gruyere, and ricotta and tomato.

Ingredients

5 large eggs, whisked

1 1/2 cups egg whites (or 6 additional eggs)

1/2 cup half and half or crème fraîche

1 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2 inch half-moon slices

2 yellow onions, sliced

2 tbsp butter

salt

pepper

---

First... (if making caramelized onions)

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add sliced onions, and lightly toss to coat. Let cook for five minutes undisturbed.

Lower heat to low and continue to cook the onions, stirring every five minutes, for 45 minutes to an hour.

Towards the end, add a couple tablespoons of chicken stock or white wine to the pan to deglaze, and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom.

Wait for the liquid to cook off. You can do this once or twice.

• By the end, they should be deeply brown and dark. This brings out the full flavor, but feel free to take them out earlier if you're feeling impatient.

Then... (or first if you aren't making caramelized onions)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet (cast-iron if you have) over medium heat.

If making the onions now, add to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. If you made caramelized onions, good job, and add them after the step below.

Then add the leeks; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5-10 minutes.

Then...

Meanwhile, whisk eggs, crème fraîche or half and half, and parsley in a large bowl; mix in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. P

our the egg mixture over the leeks and onions, shaking the pan to evenly distribute mixture.

Cook the frittata, without stirring, until its edges begin to set, about 5 minutes.

Finally...

Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over eggs and transfer skillet to oven.

Bake frittata until golden brown and center is set, 25-30 minutes.

Let deflate (it will be puffed up coming out of the oven) and let cool before serving.