Mushroom and Haystack Mountain Chèvre Frittata

from Chef Hugo Matheson, The Kitchen, Boulder, Colorado

Serves 6-8
An easy and tasty summer lunch dish. The leftovers are great cold.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 pound mixed mushrooms: cremini, shitake, oyster, or any others
3 sprigs fresh thyme
8 whole eggs
1/2 pint heavy cream or half-and-half
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled Haystack Mountain Boulder Chèvre
8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Place an ovenproof, 10-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic; cook for 1 minute or until garlic is light brown, then add mushrooms and thyme. Sauté for about 10 minutes on high heat (you are cooking a lot of the water out of the mushrooms, which will increase their flavor).

2. In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, cream or half-and-half, cheese, mint, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add mushroom mixture and beat all ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Return frying pan to medium heat and add butter. Let it sizzle slightly, then add egg-mushroom mixture. Let cook until the bottom is slightly set, then stir. Repeat this process a couple of times (this helps distribute heat throughout the mixture). Place in oven and cook for about 10 minutes, until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a plate or serve straight from the pan.

For more information about The Kitchen Café, visit www.thekitchencafe.com