frittata

Frittata. What a cute, festive word. And I just improvised a super-simple one.

Shrimp and Caramelized Onion Frittata
serves 1

What you need:
-1 medium yellow or Vidalia onion, sliced as thinly as possible
-10 or so medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
-2 eggs
-balsamic vinegar
-canola or other neutral cooking oil
-salt and freshly-cracked pepper
-lots of time and patience, or maybe a load of laundry to do simultaneously

What you do:
1. Caramelized onions: place 1 tbsp oil in a pan (NOT a non-stick pan) on low or low-medium heat. Add the sliced onion - it looks like a lot, but the volume will reduce greatly. This is not a saute. The idea is to slowly evaporate all the excess moisture out of the onions (~30 min on my stove), at which point the sugars will begin to caramelize and brown on the bottom of the pan. The first 30 min doesn't require much attention; I check on it and stir only about once every 5-10 min. After that, I watch and stir more frequently for the next 15-20 min to avoid burning and charring to the pan. Some brown stuck-on bits are good; just scrape them into the mix. This should all smell awesomely fragrant, and you'll know you're done when the brown bits start to stick more frequently and the onions are soft and sweet. At this point, add a splash of balsamic vinegar for sweetness and set the pan aside.
2. Preheat oven to broil.
3. Beat 2 eggs and season with salt and freshly-cracked pepper. Set this aside (have it ready so you can add it as soon as the shrimp are barely cooked through).
4. In a single-serving size skillet, place 1 tbsp oil on medium-high heat. Add shrimp and stir frequently until they are just pink and no longer translucent. This happens fast!
5. Lower heat to low-medium and add the caramelized onions. Distribute the onions and shrimp evenly throughout the skillet, then pour the eggs on top.
6. Cook until eggs are partially set (and mostly set on the bottom). Place skillet under broiler until top of eggs is set.
7. Remove frittata from oven, cut into wedges, and serve with a salad for brunch or a light dinner!