Leek & Mushroom Frittata
Cook together. Eat together.
Customized frittatas for a crowd.
Brunch is one of the best meals to share with family and friends. For our family, it’s also one of the most challenging meals, especially if we eat out. Among us, we have various food allergies and intolerances: dairy, lactose, gluten and others. Brunch buffets and breakfast menus are loaded with dairy and gluten.
With a little practice, we found it so much easier to make brunch at home. And since we customize this dish, Keith’s happy because he still gets to eat dairy.
I love a frittata as the centerpiece egg dish for a brunch. There are so many delicious add-ins, and once it’s in the oven it doesn’t need a lot of attention while I make other things. flA couple of years ago, I found this recipe on Epicurious and began modifying with nondairy and lactose free substitutions.
Taste Test Kitchen
What we like about this recipe is that it incorporates flavorful leeks and mushrooms, and the egg mixture is richer because it uses sour cream instead of milk.
Leeks are of the onion and garlic family but have a mild flavor. They look like oversized scallions (green onions) and can be trimmed and cut in a similar way. The one trick to using leeks is to clean them well, because sometimes they get mud inside their many layers.
When making egg dishes, I especially love brown mushrooms, also called cremini or baby bella. They are younger versions of portabella mushrooms and have more flavor than the white, button mushrooms.
How to Make Individualized Servings - dairy free, lactose free and dairy full
We’ve succeeded in breaking down the original recipe and substituting different ingredients. Sometimes we make half with regular cheese and half with goat or sheep’s milk cheese. Often we make one portion completely dairy free.
Besides providing the main recipe with dairy, nondairy and lactose free options, we give you the ingredients for just one serving. This way you can do the math and create the right portions for your brunch crowd.
Last bit of advice — keep your eye on the the frittata as it finishes. I’ve overcooked and undercooked this, usually because I get distracted with other dishes I’m preparing, or conversations with the family. Use a knife to test the center and try not let the frittata overcook.
Let us know if you have questions about how to make frittatas for your next gathering. Enjoy!
~ Lee
Leek & Mushroom Frittata
ingredients:
- 2 medium leeks
- 8 ounces brown (cremini, baby bella) mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 eggs
- 1/2 cup lactose free sour cream (or dairy free, plain yogurt, such as coconut milk yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese: fontina for full dairy; manchego and/or crumbled goat cheese for reduced lactose; vegan cheese or crumbled almond milk ricotta for nondairy
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- vegan margarine for preparing pans
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup medium chopped leeks
- 1-2 mushrooms, sliced thin
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sour cream or nondairy yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons cheese or nondairy cheese
- dash of salt and pepper
instructions:
How to cook Leek & Mushroom Frittata
- Preheat oven to 350° with rack in middle of the oven.
- Grease pans thoroughly with margarine (see notes).
- Prepare the leeks by first trimming away the root end and the dark green portion of the leaves, keeping only the light green and white parts. Slice the leek lengthwise and submerse in cold water. Let soak, drain, and rinse again. Rub away any debris or dirt from base and insides of leaves. Drain and pat dry. (See photos in post.) Chop into medium-sized pieces.
- Clean and trim the mushrooms, and slice thin.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil. Sautee and stir leeks until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to stir frequently for another 8-10 minutes until softened and the liquid from the vegetables cooks off.
- In a medium bowl, add eggs, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. If making separate dairy and nondairy portions, remove half of the egg mixture to another bowl. Fold into each bowl a heaping 1/3 cup of your choice of cheese.
- Pour egg mixture(s) into prepared pan(s). For best results with ramekins or smaller casserole dishes, cover and place in a water bath and into the oven (see notes).
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Timing depends on size of the pan and depth of the egg mixture. Remove when edges begin to brown and center is just set. It's easy to over or under cook the eggs, so check by inserting a knife in the center to see down into it. Remove from the oven when eggs are just set in the center – the eggs will continue to cook a bit when removed.
- Carefully remove from oven and from the water bath pan. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
