Loving The Tall Grass
It’s been a bumpy road to discovering my love of asparagus. As a kid, I would live in fear of the dinners where I would walk through the door and smell it steaming. If we were at my grandmother’s and I saw the hollandaise on the table, I knew it would be a rough night.

Back then asparagus wasn’t as readily available year-round as it is now. So, the arrival of those fat green stalks always heralded the beginning of spring—and filled me with dread thinking about what would be for dinner. From the moment asparagus appeared in the produce section, the regular and preferred vegetable component of our dinners switched from broccoli and frozen peas to a steady diet of asparagus prepared the same way, every time.

I can trace my change of heart vis-a-vis asparagus back to one night when I was living in San Francisco and attending a six-week cooking course. One of the many recipes we made that night was this Ragout of Fava Beans, Peas, and Asparagus with Pecorino and Crispy Prosciutto.

It was a lightbulb moment for me. Until then, I had strangely only had asparagus that was, usually, over-steamed, and I am not sure how I managed it. That recipe opened my eyes and taste buds to what asparagus is supposed to taste like. It’s a totally different experience when it is grilled…or roasted.

After having now explored asparagus used in any number of ways, you might ask what my current favorite way to enjoy asparagus is. The answer: steamed but still crunchy.

Perhaps it’s the obvious link to Easter. But, I also really like asparagus paired with eggs. This Asparagus, Tomato, and Fontina Frittata recipe is a great example. It’s delicious for brunch or paired with a salad for a light lunch. And, it does work well for an Easter buffet.

Asparagus, Tomato, and Fontina Frittata
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis and the Food Network
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces asparagus
1 tomato
Kosher salt
3 ounces Fontina, diced

Directions
Preheat the broiler.

Prep the ingredients
Trim the asparagus and cut it into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces. Seed and slice the tomato. And, dice the Fontina.

Prep the egg mixture
Whisk the eggs, cream, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Set the egg mixture aside.

Cook the vegetables
Heat the olive oil and butter in a 9 1/2-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and sauté until tender but still crisp (about 2 minutes). Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the tomato and a pinch of salt and sauté 2 minutes longer.

Add the eggs
Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus and tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until the eggs start to set.

Add the cheese
Sprinkle the frittata with cheese. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the frittata is almost set but the top is still runny (about 2 minutes).

Finish in the broiler
Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the top is set and golden brown on top (about 5 minutes).

Allow the frittata to stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from the skillet and slide the frittata onto a serving plate.