Noel Barnhurst - Photographer

Have a Mother's Day Brunch that your mom will never forget.

Artichoke-Pancetta Frittata with Crispy Breadcrumb Crust

10 eggs
½ cup grated Asiago cheese
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1/4 lb. pancetta, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 large artichokes, trimmed, choke removed, cut into large dice
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, from batard or baguette
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
¼ cup grated parmesan
½ cup grated fontina
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

In the deep half of a frittata pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Render pancetta until beginning to turn golden, 5-7 minutes. Add onions to the pancetta, and continue cooking over medium heat until onions are beginning to brown and tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove pancetta and onion from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set aside to cool. Return pan to heat and add artichokes. Brown over medium heat, 8-10 minutes. If artichokes are not fully cooked, pan steam by adding water ¼ cupful at a time, and cooking until all liquid has evaporated. Repeat as necessary. Combine artichokes with the pancetta and onion and allow mixture to cool. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel and set aside.

Meanwhile, in the shallow half of the frittata pan over medium heat, melt butter and add breadcrumbs to the pan, stirring to coat. Toast breadcrumbs until light golden, 8-10 minutes. Transfer breadcrumbs to small bowl and cool completely. Once cooled, toss lightly with parmesan, fontina, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Add the Asiago cheese and the cooled artichoke mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat an oven to broil and place oven rack on uppermost level.

Return the deeper half of the frittata pan to medium heat and the shallow half to low heat. In the deeper skillet, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Pour egg mixture into pan, and cook, using a rubber spatula to lift the cooked edges and allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath, 2-3 minutes. Continue to cook until eggs begin to set, about 4-6 minutes more. Run spatula along the edges of pan to loosen slightly.

Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Spread breadcrumb mixture over top of frittata, cover with the deeper pan, and continue to cook over medium heat, covered, until the eggs are almost set, about 6 minutes.
Uncovered shallow pan and transfer to the oven. Broil until cheeses are melted and breadcrumbs are golden, 3-5 minutes. Run spatula around the edge of the pan, and gently shake the pan to loosen the frittata. Slide onto a serving plate, and serve immediately.

Serves 8 to 10.
Courtesy of the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 smoked ham hock, about 1 1/2 lb.
1 lb. green split peas, picked over and rinsed
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Cook the soup
In a fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Put the ham hock in the center of a slow cooker and spread the split peas around the ham. Add the onion mixture, the carrots, celery, broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the peas are very tender, 4 to 5 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.

Finish the soup
Transfer the ham hock to a platter or cutting board and let cool until it can be handled, about 15 minutes. Using your fingers or a knife and fork, remove the meat from the bone, shredding or cutting the meat into bite-size pieces. Stir the meat back into the soup along with the parsley. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Slow Cooker, by Norman Kolpas (Oxmoor House, 2007).

Recipe Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma.

The big game is just around the corner, and instead of serving the same old boring wings with the same old boring potato salad, why not rev up your recipes with a twist from Michael Voltaggio.  Since winning Top Chef season 6, Michael has devolped recipes with Williams-Sonoma for the at home Chef, and why not suprise them with this Top Chef's  creative take on old time favorites.

Michael Voltaggio's

VADOUVAN CHICKEN WINGS & HEIRLOOM POTATO SALAD

(Wok tossed on a grill!)

Vadouvan Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
  1/2 cup honey
  3/4  oz. grated fresh ginger
  Zest of 6 limes
  1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  3 lb. chicken wings, tips removed
  2 Tbs. vegetable oil
  2 Tbs. kosher salt
  6 Tbs. vadouvan curry powder
  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add the lime zest and lime juice and let stand for 5 minutes. Strain the glaze into a bowl. 

Rinse the chicken wings with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl, add the oil and stir to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the salt and vadouvan curry powder. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken wings and stir to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

When the chicken has 20 minutes left to marinate, prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Place a steel grill wide chef’s pan on the grill to preheat. 

Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Cover the grill and cook, turning the wings over and rearranging them in the pan every 5 minutes to ensure they cook evenly, until they are well browned and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. When the wings are done, drizzle on the glaze in 3 additions, tossing the wings after each addition. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, toss with the cilantro and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6. 



Heirloom Potato Salad

Ingredients:
  2 lb. mixed medium fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
  2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  1 1/2 tsp. plus 1 Tbs. sea salt
  2 heads garlic
  1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt
  2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
  2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh mint, plus more for garnish
  1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
  1 Tbs. sumac, plus more for garnish
  3 Tbs. olive oil
Directions:
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Place a steel grill sauté pan on the grill and preheat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the potatoes, the 2 Tbs. vegetable oil and the 1 1/2 tsp. salt and stir to coat evenly. Place the garlic heads on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and pour 1 tsp. of the vegetable oil over each one. Enclose them completely in the foil. 

Place the foil-wrapped garlic at the edge of the grill. Place the potatoes in the sauté pan and cover with the lid. Cover the grill and cook, stirring the potatoes every 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown and tender, 30 to 40 minutes total. Remove the potatoes and garlic from the grill and let cool. 

Put the yogurt in a large bowl and squeeze the pulp from the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl. Stir well with a whisk. Fold in the celery, the 2 Tbs. mint, the 1 Tbs. dill, the 1 Tbs. sumac, the 1 Tbs. salt and 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the potatoes and gently fold together until well combined. 

Transfer the potato salad to a serving bowl, sprinkle with more mint, dill and sumac, and drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6. 



Recipe Courtesy of Willimas-Sonoma & Michael Voltaggio

After everyone has had their piece of the Thanksgiving feast, you are often left with mounds of food fit to still feed an army.  This year, instead of re-living your Thanksgiving meal for 5 more days, check out the Williams-Sonoma Catalog for ideas on what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers.