Vegetarian mains
New potato & samphire frittata with basil & chives
Samphire is often associated with fish, as it naturally grows on the seashore, in estuaries or marshland, but there’s no reason why vegetarians can’t enjoy its salty sweetness. It pairs well with new potatoes and herbs; we’ve used aromatic basil and punchy chives. Season the dish carefully with any extra salt, as samphire has quite a salty taste. Resting the frittata for a few minutes will allow it to set properly, making slicing it easier; egg dishes like this are always better warm rather than piping hot.
Ingredients
- 300g new potatoes
- 100g samphire
- 2 tbsp chives
- 20g basil
- 6 eggs
- 25g butter
- 125g cherry tomatoes
- ½ mini cucumber
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon
- 50g watercress
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Method
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Step 1
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Scrub the potatoes clean, leaving the skins on, then thickly slice them to approx. 1cm thick.
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Step 2
Make sure the samphire is washed well. Use scissors to snip of finely chop 2 tbsp worth of chives. Shred the basil leaves. Break the eggs into a large bowl and lightly beat them together.
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Step 3
Once the water is boiling, cook the potatoes for approx. 5 mins, until only just tender all the way through. Drain them and leave to one side for 2 mins for excess water to evaporate. Add them to the eggs with the samphire, basil and chives. Season (adding salt very lightly).
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Step 4
Put your grill on a low -medium heat. Melt the butter and a splash of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Carefully tip in the egg and potato mixture. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed over the pan. Cook on a very low heat for approx. 5 mins, enough to set the bottom (test by lifting a small edge with a spatula).
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Step 5
Finish under the grill for a few mins, until it is just set all the way through. Remove from the grill and leave it to cool for 5-10 mins, while you make the salad.
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Step 6
Halve or quarter the tomatoes. Using half the cucumber, halve it lengthways, remove the seedy core with a teaspoon, then chop into half-moon shapes.
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Step 7
Make a little dressing in a bowl by whisking the mustard with approx. ½ tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Season and add more lemon juice or oil to taste. Add the watercress, tomatoes and cucumber and lightly toss together.
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Step 8
Serve the frittata cut into wedges, with the salad. If you don't eat it all, it makes a great cold lunch (or even breakfast!) the next day.