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Boston’s Chinatown…an array of fabulous sights, sounds, and smells and our own Asian inspired dish of Shiratake Noodles with Grilled Shrimp

May 30, 2018 By Sarah 6 Comments

 

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Spring has sprung in New Hampshire …and it is glorious indeed! First came the forsythia bushes with their rays of cheery yellow. The daffodils seemed to open up their little trumpet petals overnight and proudly line the many historic stone walls that border so many historical homes in New Hampshire.

I had great fun tagging along with my friend, Jennifer, to take photos of her son, Alex’s high school prom at Lake Sunnapee Country Club. It was a bright sunshine filled day and the high schoolers were gorgeous in their stylish prom dressed and suits. What a rite of passage for so many American kids and I enjoyed trying my hand at photographing things that MOVE…like teenagers!

 

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We’ve stayed twice now in Sonder Apartment Rentals in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston. We’re adjusting to our new schedule of living in Boston Monday to Thursday for 1 year and spending weekends back home in New Hampshire. We’re taking our time exploring each of the very distinct neighborhoods of Boston and having a fabulous time doing so. I love having the juxtaposition of rural life mixed with urban life and my personality craves both and we certainly find new levels of appreciation for the offerings of each lifestyle.

 

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Boston’s Chinatown is wonderful!  It is cozy, authentic, and brimming with fantastic Asian restaurants. It is a microcosm of Asian Chinatowns all over the U.S.  and is certainly a terrific place for the Asian-American population to live, work, and play.

 

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Our two Sonder apartment rentals were smack dab in the fun of everything central to being the ultimate tourist in Boston. We’re not afraid to be tourists because there is so much in downtown Boston that clearly identifies us as tourists.

Chinatown is a certain draw for us as we adore asian food. Everything from Szechuan chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese restaurants are tucked away in the narrow cozy streets of Chinatown. Bakeries are noticeably abundant and we’re having no trouble trying everything from the egg custards, stuffed soft pillowy bread rolls, and the red bean paste filled moon cakes.

 

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Boston is such a wonderfully manageable city when playing the tourist. From Chinatown, it is only about 3-4 blocks walk to explore the Theatre District. Shops, restaurants, and theaters create an upbeat lively atmosphere with several streets like Summer Street established as pedestrian only.

 

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We were back home in New Hampshire for the long Memorial Day Weekend and our son, Riley, treated us to some of his hand made sushi rolls. They were delicious as well as was this Shiratake Noodle Asian Shrimp Dish that I made. The noodles are made from  Japanese yams and the taste and texture is very much like rice noodles.

 

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I cannot wait to share our experiences in the other neighborhoods of Boston but the lure of the Chinatown neighborhood has a hold on us for a while. The Sonder apartment rentals in this area make moving around as a tourist easy, the T stops are so convenient for getting to work, the Boston Commons is 2 blocks one way, and South Street Train Station is a 7 minute walk the other way.

 

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One rainy day on the streets of Chinatown. Loved how the city looks and feels in a spring rain in the downtown neighborhood. Also, playing around on my camera for a bit of impressionist fun

 

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Our favorite spot for soup dumplings is now locked in. Appropriately, it is called The Gourmet Dumpling House. Aptly named, the soup dumplings as well as the stuffed dumplings there are fabulous and it is hard to resist going back again and again. But, we’ve promised that we will not be stick-in-the-muds and will try out more restaurants.

 

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Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood.

We’ve also been experiencing the deliciousness that is a Chinese dish called Hot Pot. A wonderfully seasoned broth is brought to the table in a large bowl and set on an open burner in the center. Many spices and seasoning are floating in the broth and it smells divine. Beef or pork are usually the protein options to accompany the broth as well as an array of wonderfully fresh vegetables, fish balls, and various noodle options. We tried the hot pot option at Q Restaurant in Chinatown and thought it was a definite do-again. The meat is swished in the simmering spiced broth for a few minutes and then flavored further with several Chinese condiments that are brought to the table in tiny bowls. After all the proteins and noodles are eaten, the broth is deliciously flavored and nice and hot for sipping. Hot Pot is a wonderful dish to enjoy on a cool rainy day in Boston.

 

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Only about 4 blocks over is the Boston Commons and Boston’s Public Gardens. It still amazes us how much Boston changes from month to month and makes us appreciate living in a part of the country that has such distinct 4 seasons to enjoy.

The tulips were all in bloom and were spread out in the Public Gardens in swaths of brightly colored sections. People in the park were enjoying yoga lessons, walking their dogs, and just circling and staring at the beauty of the colorful tulips.

 

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Above is our second Sonder Apartment rental near the Theatre District and Chinatown. This one I’ve declared my favorite studio apartment because of the deep sea blue palette with soft woods, greys, and taupes. Sonder decorates their apartments in a style very much like the store West Elm, which my daughter likes very much, so I am getting  many decorating tips for her from each stay. The use of overlapping textures of wood, cement, steel, natural fiber carpets, and stitched pillows all blend together to create a very cozy urban vibe in each apartment.

 

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This poster (above,right) certainly made me stop in my tracks while wandering around Chinatown. When I looked closely at the captions of each photo, I read: blood antler tablets, deer tendon, oxtail, and ….er…ummmm…deer penis. Hmmm…we’re adventurous eaters, but I’m sure I am looking at our LIMIT.

 

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Above: Hot Eastern Chinese Cuisine (restaurant name). Sianking Stye Chicken and Noodles (dish)

We thought we would try out one restaurant that seemed very authentic among Chinese diners. It is called Hot Eastern Chinese Cuisine. Tinsel wrapped garland ushered us down a cluttered poster decorated staircase into the lower basement level of one building.

We were the only caucasion couple seated in the restaurant and the waitress certainly strugged in english to answer our questions about items on the menu. Undaunted by these few road blocks, we decided to wing it and point to several dishes on the menu.

We first had Szechuan style dumplings which came sitting in a wonderfully aromatic sauce and had to be eaten like soup dumplings. They were fabulous and full of layers of flavor so we then anticipated the main course based on the appetizer. We didn’t get too adventurous here but ordered the Sianking Style Chicken and Noodles. The portion size was huge so thankfully we were splitting it. Tiny bite size pieces of chicken, bone in, were stewed in a bed of peppers, onions, potatoes, and noodles. Lots and lots of nibbled on bones later, we enjoyed this homey dish very much but probably won’t go for something so oily next time.

 

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I took a little trip on the Orange Line T to see the Somerville neighborhood. The entire area has truly been razed and everything there is brand spanking new. They are building the neighborhood in sections and it flanks a beautiful harbor area. Everything one could desire is landing in Somerville including a big beautiful Trader Joe’s, Yankee Candle, Tatte’s Bakery, Paul’s Bakery, upscale apartment complexes and restaurants galore. The entire area is pedestrian friendly, filled with pocket parks, and bordered by boats bobbing in the harbor. It one wants the best of suburbia with quick access on the T train into Boston…this is it. I couldn’t resist picking up a Yankee Candle and doing a bit of shopping at the Trader Joe’s.

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Recipe for this delicious Asian inspired Shiratake Noodle Dish with grilled Shrimp coming soon to the blog (when I get back home to New Hampshire where the recipe resides)

Mentions in this post:

Q Restaurant Chinatown Boston

Corner Café and Bakery – Chinatown Boston

Gourmet Dumpling House – Chinatown Boston

Hot Eastern Chinese Cuisine – Chinatown Boston

Trader Joe’s – Somerville, MA

Sonder Apartment Rentals – Boston

 

Shiratake Noodles with Grilled Shrimp in a Peanut Sauce
 
Save Print
Author: Ann Petersson
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 2 TBS Sesame Oil
  • 3 TBS Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp siracha
  • 1 TBS Rice Vinegar
  • small cucumber
  • 1 carrot
  • ¾ cup Edamame
  • Fresh Ginger
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 - 3 Scallions
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 package Shiratake Noodles
  • 20 large or medium shrimp
  • olive oil
  • coarse salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Rinse and trim the cucumber, then grate on a box grater. Put cucumbers on dish cloth and squeeze out extra liquid. Peel the carrot, trim the ends, and grate on a box grater. Peel the ginger and grate it finely. Peel the garlic and mince. Peel and trim the scallions, thinly slice the white and light green parts. Finely chop the cilantro.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, siracha, and 2 TBS warm water. Season with black pepper. If the sauce is not creamy, add another TBS of warm water to reach the consistency of heavy cream.
  3. Pat dry shrimp with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat up a grill pan and brush with olive oil. Grill shrimp about 3 minutes per side and remove to a side plate.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Drain the package of noodles in a colander and rinse under cool water for about a minute. Add the noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the noodles really well!
  5. In a medium bowl, toss together the noodles, sauce, cucumbers, carrots, and edamame.
  6. Divide the noodle mixture between serving bowls. Top with grilled shrimp, sesame seeds, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro.
3.5.3208

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: asian recipes, Boston, boston chinatown, Boston eats, Boston Public Gardens, historical farmhouses new hampshire, hot eastern chinese cusisine, Massachusetts, moody food photography, Nehemiah Ordway homestead, New England living, New Hampshire, Q restaurant boston, Sarah Kenney food photographer, shiratake noodle recipe, spring in boston, sushi making, Szechuan dumplings, tatte's bakery, thyme food and travel blog, totto ramen, tulips, Warner New Hampshire, what to do in Boston, where magazine Boston, where to eat in boston

Spring in the city of Boston…and seasonal dish of Lemon Cumin Chicken with hearty wheat berries

May 14, 2018 By Sarah 5 Comments

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The funny whimsical statues of the mother duck and her ducklings in Boston’s Public Gardens

After having several fun weekends in Boston during the New England winter, it is amazing to see the city transform into a much gentler softer palette of colors as springtime transforms this fabulous historical city.

We’ve been going back and forth to Boston much more often than is typical so seeing the city transform has been such a pleasure to witness. Boston isn’t a city the really grabbed my enthusiastic attention when we moved to the northeast three and a half years ago. It seemed each time we initially visited the city we didn’t have luck with the weather. It was either beastly hot or frigidly cold. However, that first perception is changing for sure as we move through the different neighborhoods and explore the many character filled areas that make up the rich tapestry of Boston. Springtime emerging in the city is truly something to experience. It’s like the entire city went to a spa and came out transformed and beautiful and ready for a grand ball.

 

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Making life easier in the country after returning from the hubbub of the city…this Lemon Cumin rubbed Chicken over a bed of colorful spinach, dried cherries, toasted walnuts was a flavorful fresh and healthy meal for our weekend projects.

 

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Boston’s Public Gardens…awash with soft pinks and pearly whites of the blossoms on all of the cherry trees

The reason for the many upcoming back and forth trips to Boston is that a job situation has offered us the opportunity to live in the city part of the week and then return to our beloved New Hampshire the rest of the week and weekend. There isn’t a rush to make living arrangements so we decided to try out the various neighborhoods, explore the characteristics of them, and see which area might fit us the best.

 

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Bathroom redo and first Baltimore Oriole sighting!

 

On top of apartment hunting in Boston and exploring various parts of the city we decided to add to the tumult by throwing in more renovation house projects to keep weekends lively. The upstairs bath mostly used by guests was in sore need of a makeover from top to bottom. We have been tearing out the ceiling to expose the pretty wooden beams that had been dry walled over, adding a touch of William Morris wallpaper (because I am in love with their pattens and cannot resist), changing out the damaged tile flooring. A beautiful claw foot tub was already in the space and we’ll keep that along with a fabulous marble antique sink and old silver faucet that adds great character to the room.

 

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Strolling around the Boston Commons and Boston’s Public Gardens

 

It seems no matter where we stay in Boston, walking to the Boston Commons and the adjacent Public Gardens is an easy walk away whether coming from the North End, Chinatown, the Financial District, Beacon Hill, or Back Bay neighborhoods. What a completely different scene it is to be in the park in the winter time compared to the spring time. Both seasons display  beautiful landscapes from snowy dreamy scapes to ones filled with fairy tale displays of tulips and cherry blossom trees … the difference is so remarkable!

 

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So to make this back and forth lifestyle between city and country work easily, we’ve discovered this fabulous company out of Concord, New Hampshire that organizes healthy meal options in coordination with local producers in New Hampshire, selects and packages all of the ingredients in their correct portion sizes, and delivers it right to our local coffee shop, Schoodacs, which is 3 minutes from our farmhouse.

The company is called Local Baskit and we have been smitten with their recipe quality, ingredient selections, and use of local farmers to ensure that we are shopping more locally than ever.

 

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The Public Gardens in Boston on the brink of springtime bloom

 

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Our first Sonders Apartment rental in the Theatre District of Boston. The apartment was fabulous, looked over the Orpheum Theatre and had everything offered by a hotel

 

In order to make settling into Boston for a partial week as smooth as possible, we’ve discovered a company called Sonder.  Sonder has fully furnished and equipped kitchens in locations all over Boston. Their apartments are placed strategically to be nearby to T stops as well as tourist attractions.

Our first Sonder rental was in the Downtown Crossings neighborhood. This is probably the most tourist oriented area of Boston off the northeaster portion of the Boston Commons. The historical walks, Faneuil Hall, Theatre and Boston Ballet District, and Boston Public Market are all within walking distance.

 

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Cherry Blossoms in full bloom in Boston’s Public Gardens

 

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Our first Sonder apartment rental overlooked the Orpheum Theatre and is in the heart of the Theatre District of Boston

 

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Beautiful, sensual, artistic Yvonne’s restaurant in the heart of the Theatre District

The absolutely gorgeous restaurant, Yvonne’s, captured our hearts and palette. This restaurant was a few blocks away from the Sonder apartment rental we chose and is the perfect before or after theatre choice for an intimate, 1920’s vibe that is both intimate and artistically decorated. We loved everything we ate at Yvonne’s and have this restaurant on our list to return to again.

 

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Where can you find French macarons in Boston? Inside the Boston Public Market there is a little place called Finesse Pastries

 

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Back in New Hampshire over the weekend, French macarons from Finesse Pastries in the Boston Public Market made for a sweet weekend ending to a fun filled week in Boston

 

 

 

 

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The North End Italian neighborhood is only a 10-15 minute walk from our centrally located Sonder apartment. This cozy neighborhood stuffed with one Italian eatery after another also makes for a perfect before or after theatre dining option. I was pulled into Modern Pastry right on Hanover Street (which is the main street going through the Italian district) to ogle at these divine looking pastries.

 

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Boston, Boston Massachusetts, Spring in Boston

 

(above) Limoncello was a very fun restaurant filled with diners and wonderful murals painted on their walls. The entire wall abutting the side walk opened up and dining spilled onto the sidewalk

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While roaming around the pastry shops and fabulous Italian restaurants in The North End, it’s really easy to stop in the Paul Revere House and take a little tour. The cost is only $5/person.

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So after apartment hunting and neighborhood exploring, we returned to New Hampshire for much needed garden tending, recipe sampling of Local Baskit meal kit deliveries, total bathroom renovation work. Because we’re taking the city in sections as we get to know Boston better, I thought I would list below what I had fun visiting in this particular Theatre District/Downtown Crossing area of the city.

Boston Commons

Boston Public Gardens

Yvonne’s restaurant in the Theatre District

Sonder fully furnished apartment rentals

Boston Public Market

North End Italian neighborhood

Finesse Pastries (for French macarons and located in the Boston Public Market)

Modern Pastry (located in The North End Italian district)

Limoncello (fun lively Italian restaurant a little tucked off of the main Hanover Street of The North End)

Local Baskit – New Hampshire’s own locally sourced meal delivery kits based out of Concord, NH

Schoodacs Coffee & Tea – one of the pick up locations for meal deliveries to our area.

 

5.0 from 3 reviews
Lemon-Cumin Chicken with Wheat Berries
 
Save Print
Recipe type: Chicken
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup heard wheat berries
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • 6 TBS dried cherries
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 celery stalks
  • fresh parsley
  • handfuls of baby spinach
  • 1 scallion
  • 4 chicken breasts
Instructions
  1. Place wheat berries in a medium saucepan and add water to cover the wheat berries by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour until tender. Add additional water if necessary during cooking time to be sure pan does not become dry. When wheat berries are tender, drain and allow to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients. Coarsely chop the walnuts. Heat a small, dry skillet over medium high heat until hot, then add chopped walnuts and toast until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Transfer to a medium bowl. Rinse and trim the celery, then chop it into small dice. Coarsely chop the parsley. Halve the lemons and juice them. Trim the scallions and thinly slice the white and light green parts. Add the chopped celery, parsley, scallion slices, and dried cherries to the bowl with the toasted walnuts. Add 1 TBS plus 1 tsp lemon juice and 2 TBS olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  3. Place the chicken breasts on a piece of waxed paper on a work surface. Cover with another piece of waxed paper and use mallet or the flat side of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. In a small bowl, season the ground cumin with salt and pepper and mix together. Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and rub the cumin mixture all over both sides of the chicken breasts. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and oil it. Add the chicken breasts and grill until golden brown with grill marks on both sides and cook through. Use an instant read thermometer set to 160˚F. Remove chicken and the internal temperature will rise a bit while resting. Rest for 5 minutes and slice thinly.
  4. Add the cooked drained wheat berries to the bowl with the celery/walnut mixture and toss to combine. Divide the baby spinach between serving plates and top with some of the wheat berry mixture. Top with the chicken slices and drizzle with remaining lemon juice. Serve!
3.5.3208

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Boston, Boston Commons, boston massachusetts, Boston Public Gardens, Boston Public Market, chicken recipes, chicken with wheat berries, cumin lemon chicken, Finesse Pastries Boston, French macarons, healthy eating, Modern Pastry North End Boston, moody food photography, North End Boston, Orpheum Theatre, Sarah Kenney food photographer, schoodacs coffee and tea, sonder apartments boston, spring in boston, Theatre District Boston, thyme food blog, what to do in Boston, where to eat in boston, Yvonne's Boston

Here we go January…warm Sausage, Mushroom, Goat Cheese Frittatas

January 12, 2017 By Sarah 11 Comments

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Marching into 2017 has been all about staying warm. I keep reading article headlines that give advice to people on how to stay happy and positive during these difficult, cold, and dreary winter months. Being that I love winter, and up here it is a pretty long one, I’m grateful that I have all positive thoughts about white snow, winter hikes, and warm cracking fires.

 

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What I’ve noticed living in this New England climate, is that many people save up winter projects to keep them busy over these months of freezing temperatures that sometimes don’t make it out of the teens for a week at a time (we just had one of those).

 

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Our friends up the road save projects like quilting and sewing for activities to do around the kitchen table in front of a warm fire. Our other friend picks up woodworking and clock repairing projects to do as a hobby…and another refinishes the planks for his wooden dingy used to get back and forth from his sail boat.

 

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I decided to follow suit. Between getting outdoors for some pretty frigid winter walks, I’ve compiled a variety of projects and activities to happily carry me through these winter months. We gave each other piles of books this holiday. Post dinner time can find us snuggled under blankets around the fireplace. Patrick is deep into The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan. Dreaming of traveling to Scotland occupies my evenings as I am enjoying all the rich details and plot developments of the Outlander series written by Diana Gabaldon.

 

 

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I have Mademoiselle: Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History as well as Lilac Girls written by Martha Hall Kelly. The pile of reading material is pretty tall under those first choices but the list of Golden Globe movies is toggling for attention as well.

 

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I’ve never been one to follow the various award ceremonies like Golden Globes, Academy Awards, and The Oscars. I couldn’t tell you who today’s A-list actors are and which films are winning these top awards but I have always admired people who were in-the-know about all of these

 

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Sausage, Mushroom, Goat Cheese Frittata
 
Save Print
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • Ingredients:
  • 8 eggs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 6 oz. goat's milk cheese, cut into ¼-inch rounds
  • 1 tsp. plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • ½ lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed
  • ¾ lb. assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, about ¾ lb., stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch strips
Instructions
  1. Directions:
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. In the deep half of a frittata pan (I use a black cast iron pan) over medium-high heat, warm 1 tsp. of the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the sausage on paper towels, then transfer to another bowl.
  5. In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the bowl with the sausage.
  6. In the same pan over medium heat, warm 1 tsp. of the olive oil. Add half of the chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with 1 tsp. of the olive oil and the remaining chard.
  7. Return the rest of chard, the sausage and the mushrooms to the same cast iron pan and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the egg mixture and cook, using a rubber spatula to lift the cooked edges and allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath, about 2 minutes. Add the goat cheese circles and let melt into the frittata. Continue cooking until the eggs begin to set, 4 to 6 minutes more. Place entire pan directly into the oven. Continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes until the frittata doesn't jiggle too much when shaken. It will continue to firm up after removing from the oven.
  8. Cut into slices and serve directly from cast iron skillet.
3.5.3208

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: eggs, food photography, frittata, moody food photography, mushrooom goat cheese frittata, New Hampshire, sarah, Warner New Hampshire

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