Fresh Recipe: Komatsuna Souffled Omelette

Charlotte Fresh’s fridge is bursting with fresh produce and eggs as we head into week three of our 2012 Hinson Farms CSA share.  The first week’s share was so bountiful, produce covered our countertop.  During that time, I was ill, so poor Hubby was trying to eat through everything himself before we started bequeathing greens to friends.  A weekly full share is big enough for a family of four!  (Hubby did use some items to make me the most-loving-chicken-soup-ever to help me recover, but I’ll write about that soup another time.)  So far, Hinson Farms has provided us with wonderfully-tasting familiar items like lettuce, kale, radishes, nappa cabbage, swiss chard, beets, onions and broccoli.  One thing we received last week that we’ve never had is komatsuna.

Komatsuna from Hinson Farms

 

Komatsuna is a leafy green that (oddly enough) belongs to the turnip family.  It doesn’t taste like turnip to me – more like bok choy or cabbage.  I read that it’s high in calcium and great for pretty much any use; you can eat it raw in salads or stir-fry it.  It is delicious, and the ribs stay a little crisp when you saute it.  Since we are racking up a considerable number of eggs and heads of leafy greens, I decided to chop and saute the komatsuna and put it into a souffled omelette with Bosky Acres goat cheese and pancetta from Chef Charles Catering.  Pancetta makes life better.

Chef Charles Catering Pancetta

A souffled omelette is pretty much an omelette where the egg whites and yolks are separated, the whites are beaten separately until fluffy, and the yolks are folded back in before cooking.  Once you’ve had a fluffy souffled omelette, it’s hard to go back to the classic version.  With a side salad, it made for a yummy dinner for the two of us.  If you don’t have komatsuna (Hinson Farms sells it at Matthews), you can substitute any leafy green.

Fresh Recipe:  Komatsuna Souffled Omelette

Komatsuna souffled omelette

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 head komatsuna or other leafy green like chard (about 10 ribs), chopped
• 2 slices pancetta, diced
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1 oz. goat cheese
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped – optional
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a 10-inch non-stick oven-proof skillet, saute the garlic and pancetta until the pancetta is browned.

Mmmm…pancetta.

Add the komatsuna and cook until wilted.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from pan.

Beat the egg whites until fluffy with peaks, but don’t overdo it.

Egg whites – don’t beat too long.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, add salt and pepper to taste, and fold into the egg whites.

Carefully fold the beaten yolks into the whites.

Egg mixture should look like this when done.

Melt butter in the same pan in which you cooked the komatsuna.  Spread the egg mixture into the pan evenly.  Dot with the cooked komatsuna, pancetta and garlic.  Dot with goat cheese and sprinkle with cilantro.  Gently poke the ingredients into the egg mixture.  Cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Remove the cover, and transfer the pan to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes at 375 degrees.  Slide omelette out of the pan onto a plate and serve immediately.