Spring Ricotta Frittata with Asparagus, Green Garlic, Ramps, and Garlic Chives
Plus: Cavatelli with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, Grilled Chicken Thighs, and One Day 'Til Food Person!
Hey everyone,
You know that Kristen Wiig sketch where they’re planning a surprise party, she’s clutching her turtleneck, and her eyes are bugging out of her head because she’s “so dang excited”?
That’s how I’m feeling right this very instant because in less than 24 hours my very first novel, FOOD PERSON, is entering the world!
I’ve been so gobsmacked by the warm reception the book is getting. Glowing reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. Lovely Instagram posts and GoodReads reviews from passionate early readers. My publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, has been so loving and supportive… here’s my friend Chris (who works in sales) and Sara Eagle (associate director of marketing) sending off Food Person mailers in Food Person hats…
My event with Cup of Jo’s Joanna Goddard at the Brooklyn Heights Library tomorrow is selling out quick; and same for my event with Smitten Kitchen’s Deb Perelman at Archestratus on Wednesday. (Not to mention all the other events on my book tour!)
On Friday, I got to do a Grub Street Diet for New York Magazine.
And this week I’m going on NPR, several notable podcasts, and signing books all around the city!
But the thing that I’m most excited about — the thing that has me Kristen Wiiging out — is the fact that you, my most passionate, hardcore readers, are finally going to get to read this book that I’ve been yapping on and on about for the past year.
Click the button to make sure the book is on your doorstep tomorrow morning and then leave reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, and wherever else you talk about books. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Okay now let’s talk cooking.
Yesterday we went to the farmer’s market and I came home with fistfuls of spring ingredients: green garlic, garlic chives, ramps, etc. I decided the best way to put them to work was to make a frittata.
I started by sautéing asparagus, ramp bulbs, and sliced green garlic in olive oil:
Then I whisked together six farmer’s market eggs, salt, pepper, and tons of chopped ramp leaves, garlic chives, and flowering cilantro — plus big dollops of fresh ricotta (from Bellwether farms) — which I then poured into the skillet.
I baked in a 350 oven just until it was set, broiled the top for a second, and then served it up with toasted ACQ bread and a little salad made with sorrel.
Eggs are the perfect canvas to celebrate spring ingredients like these… they really let those springy flavors pop!
On the same trip to the farmer’s market, I bought two bunches of broccoli rabe and then on the way home we bought sausage.
(Craig and I got into a little tiff because I asked him to get one pound of “loose” Italian sausage and, instead, he bought three sausage links and I told him he wasn’t listening to me and he said there are bigger things going on in the world. We made up a few minutes later.)
To make this into a meal, I blanched the broccoli rabe in salted water while browning the sausage (which I had to take out of the casing… the nerve!):
And then I brought it all together with garlic, white wine, and cavatelli. Here’s a little video I made:
Some relationships are just meant to work: like broccoli rabe and sausage, and me and Craig after we made up over the sausage link controversy.
Finally, on Friday I put my grill to work again and decided to grill some chicken thighs and asparagus. First I marinated eight skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs in a mixture of chopped garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and pesto that I found from last week.
The name of the game here was getting the chicken nice and grilled without going too fast. I tried to remember going to Japan and watching a yakitori chef manipulate chicken pieces across the grill — managing the distribution of heat like a master.
I started out great, keeping the chicken away from the direct heat, gradually coaxing it along… but when it hit the right temperature (170ish), I moved it over direct heat to get more color, and some turned gorgeous and golden and some turned totally black. Those ones I covered with the gorgeous ones:
Actually, looking at that picture, it’s making me hungry so I probably did a really good job. Next time I’ll try to be more patient.
Hey, let’s look at some links:
What Has All This Restaurant Food Done to My Gut? (NYT Gift Link);
Three things we learned about Sam Altman by scoping his kitchen (The Financial Times);
A Nice Cup of Tea (The Orwell Foundation via Kottke.org)
That’s all for today, folks!
See you on bookshelves tomorrow….
Until next time!
Your pal,
Adam
So excited about your book! Is it out in Australia at the same time. Also, and idea…you should come to Melbourne Australia for our Food Festival one year!! You’d love it. Loving your spring cooking. It’s getting cold here so nice to see bright cooking in your part of the world.
Love this! Reminds me of the foraged green garlic/allium butter with chicken of the woods mushroom recipe I made inspired from my Appalachian Trail thru hike. check it out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com/p/what-my-great-grandfathers-memoir