Fritatta built with julienned zucchini

(This fritatta has its own "bowl" for salsa)

The garden is kicking into harvest mode, and this weekend's pickings included a bounty of shallots, garlic, which I wanted to pull before it got any wetter out there, onions, cabbage, green beans, carrots, including those heady-looking Purple Haze carrots, beets, my first ripe cherry tomato and, of course, more zucchini!



Feeling hungry for a lazy brunch and wanting to use more of those zukes, I made a lovely Julienned Zucchini Bird's Nest Frittata, so named because it looked like a nest (OK, maybe more like a doughnut!) after it was done. Homemade salsa topped it off for a satisfying meal.

The trick is using one of those julienne slicers from Zyliss to make quick work of the zucchini. It's an awesome tool; it took no time to shave a plate of perfect zucchini strips.



Summer also means there is a bounty of fresh herbs, which is such a joy to have on hand in the kitchen. How do I get through winter without the garden?



My parsley is really productive this season; I can pick fistfuls of it without leaving a dent, which is nice, seeing as I use a lot of the Italian flat-leaf variety. The basil is peaking and there is plenty of tarragon, chives and dill to mix into recipes. Pure gardening bliss!

This is a basic frittata recipe, but the julienned veggies make it special. You can add any other vegetables you like. As the eggs cooked, I kept pushing them to the sides of the pan to make the indentation in the middle, which served as the little salsa holder.

Julienned Zucchini Bird's Nest Frittata

• Four eggs, beaten with a bit of milk and seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika and a pinch of garlic powder.
  

1. 1 medium zucchini
2. 3 large shallots, chopped
3. Olive oil
4. Salt, pepper, to taste
5. Fresh parsley, chives, basil, chopped.
6. Small piece of fresh feta
   

• Slice the zucchini with the julienne tool and let sit on a plate for a spell as you assemble the other ingredients.
• Heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and add the shallots.
• Let them sweat a bit and then add the zucchini, which has been squeezed of excess water.
• Season with salt and pepper and allow the vegetables to brown a bit.
• Transfer the vegetables to an ovenproof 8-inch skillet (mine was 2 inches deep) that has been seasoned with a little more olive oil.
• Once the vegetables are hot, add the seasoned eggs and allow them to set as you move them toward the edges of the pan with a spatula.
• Crumble the feta on top.
• Just before the eggs are completely done, finish them under the broil for a minute.
• Remove from the oven and, using a knife to loosen the edges, flip the fritatta onto a plate.
• Spoon homemade salsa into the center.
• Serve immediately with some good toast or crusty bread.