Brussels Sprout and Bacon Frittata

 

1/2 pound bacon, diced

2 small- medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

3/4 pound brussels sprouts, halved and sliced 1/4 -inch thick

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

8 large eggs

2 T. whole milk or cream

1 C. shredded gruyère cheese

1/4 C. snipped chives, divided

 

Preheat your broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. No broiler? Just crank your oven up as hot as it goes, usually 450-475°F In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until darker in color and almost fully crisp, 5 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, 1/2 to 1 tsp. of salt (taste a piece of bacon; if it’s really salty, you might be fine with 1/2 teaspoon) and 1/4 tsp. of pepper. Stir in the shredded cheese and half the chives. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring gently, until the eggs start to set, about 1 minute, and then a few minutes more, until the bottom is lightly browned, about 4 more minutes.  Transfer to the broiler (or very hot oven) and cook until the top is a deep golden brown and the eggs are just set in the center, about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it. Poke a knife in a couple places to see if any runny egg spills out; if it’s still runny, return it to the broiler for another 1 to 2 minutes. Scatter remaining chives on top and finish with a few grinds of pepper.  If you’d like, run a rubber spatula around the edge of the frittata and slide it onto a serving plate, then cut it into 6 pieces and serve. Or, you can serve it directly from the skillet, as we do