Frittata with Red Onion Relish and British Columbia from Scratch

British Columbia from Scratch: Recipes for Every Season, written by Denise Marchessault and Caroline West, features the region’s diverse local foods presented in new and unique ways. Highlights include Crab Cakes with Cilantro Mint Sauce, Smoked Duck with Autumn Salad, Gnocchi in a Parmesan Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes and Fennel, Pear Soufflés with Cardamom and Ginger, and Nutty Caramel Cream Puffs. I will also be sharing their recipe for a Frittata with Red Onion Relish following the review.

Disclosure: I received this book from Whitecap Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.

Denise Marchessault and Caroline West

Denise Marchessault was born in Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island and currently lives in the Lower Mainland. She was classically trained in French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa and holds Le Grand Diplôme. She is now a cooking instructor, writes food articles, and develops recipes.

Caroline West grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to Vancouver Island in 2009. She originally worked in magazine publishing at Vogue Australia. She is now a photographer and regular contributor to Vogue Living and Qantas The Australian Way.

British Columbia from Scratch

For development of British Columbia from Scratch, Denise and Caroline explored British Columbia season by season and found ideas based on their travels. I particularly enjoyed the detailed writings of the various ingredients and their impact on each particular season.

You will learn about the fall harvest celebrations throughout the province including the harvest of cranberries at the Topcoat Farms in Pitt Meadows, how to purchase and work with White Spot Prawns, the foraging of mushrooms in the ancient rainforest along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, one of the largest fruit-growing regions in the country: Thompson-Okanagan, and more.

Chapters are divided based on season: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter- with each chapter having savoury and sweet sections.

For beginners, the final chapter covering fundamentals is incredibly helpful. It includes recipes and tips for a variety of basics like eggs, doughs, pasta, butters, sauces, stocks, and dressings.

The photography and prop styling are provided by Caroline West with food styling by Denise Marchessault. Every single recipe includes at least one beautifully styled, full page photo of the finished dish. There are also plenty of British Columbia landscape photos.

Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Every recipe includes a headnote with background information, inspiration, tips, and storage.

Frittata with Red Onion Relish

This Frittata with Red Onion Relish is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a light dinner. It is entirely customizable with a variety of suggested fillings based on whatever leftovers you may have in your refrigerator.

Evan chose to fill our frittata with grated Parmesan cheese, leftover pasta, and finely chopped spinach. I loved the combination.

The red onion relish is an easy yet wonderful accompaniment. I made it right before assembling the frittata, but it can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 weeks in advance.

I used an 8 inch (20 centimeter) cast iron skillet to cook the frittata. A well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan is essential to keep the eggs from sticking.

Other Dishes

I also made Hazelnut Honeycomb, Buttermilk Roasted Chicken, Mushroom and Wine Ragù with Handcrafted Pasta, and Root Vegetable Terrine (not photographed).

Hazelnut Honeycomb is a type of sweet candy with a honeycomb-like texture in the center. This particular recipe includes roughly chopped hazelnuts folded in the sugar, honey, and corn syrup mixture. The addition of baking soda after the sugar reaches a certain temperature gives it that famous texture.

Buttermilk Roasted Chicken was an incredibly simple meal full of flavor. Pieces of chicken are marinated overnight in a seasoned buttermilk mixture, then coated in flour, browned in the skillet and baked until cooked through. 

The Mushroom and Wine Ragù with Handcrafted Pasta was my personal favorite. A variety of mushrooms are simmered in a creamy wine sauce and served with homemade pasta. It is definitely a delicious comfort meal.

I made the Root Vegetable Terrine for Christmas Eve dinner and completely forgot to photograph until it was halfway gone. I loved the thin layers of potatoes and sweet potatoes with Parmesan cheese and cream.

British Columbia from Scratch is a great pick for those wanting to create meals to impress. It is particularly perfect for celebrations or dinner parties. The recipes focus on local ingredients used in a simple manner (but not always quickly) for spectacular results.

As a note, the dishes are a unique presentation of local ingredients. They do not focus on the traditional and historical recipes from British Columbia. Most of the items can easily be found in the average American grocery store. Some ingredients that may be difficult to find include chickpeas, fish sauce, fresh seafood, star anise, hazelnuts, and lamb shanks.

Frittata with Red Onion Relish Recipe

Excerpt from British Columbia from Scratch

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Frittata with Red Onion Relish

A recipe for Frittata with Red Onion Relish! This easy frittata is entirely customizable using leftovers and paired with a homemade red onion relish.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Canadian

Keyword breakfast, brunch, egg, frittata, red onion

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Frittata

Ingredients

Red Onion Relish:

• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups sliced red onion about 3 onions
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) honey

Frittata:

• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) Clarified butter or half unsalted butter/half vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion or shallots
• 6 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2-1 cup (125-140 milliliters) cooked and seasoned filling
• 1/4-1/3 cup cheese crumbled feta, grated cheddar, Parmesan, or goat cheese

Suggested Fillings:

• Roasted carrots, peppers, cauliflowers, or potatoes
• Diced potatoes, pasta, or rice
• Diced ham, chicken, bacon, or sausage
• Diced olives, cooked mushrooms, or marinated artichokes
• Handful of herbs and/or finely chopped spinach

Instructions

To make the Red Onion Relish:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onions, turning them with tongs to coat them evenly.
• Add the salt and cook until the onions soften, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
• Add the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do so.
• Add the honey, reducing the heat and continue simmering until the liquid has evaporated.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To make the Frittata:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
• Heat the clarified butter (or butter/oil mixture, if using) in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the shallots until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the eggs, salt and a bit of pepper, then add cheese and the filling of your choice, dispersing it evenly over the eggs.
• Cook partially covered, without disturbing, for about 3-5 minutes, or until the edges are firm.
• Remove the lid and transfer to a preheated oven for a few minutes until just cooked through.
• Serve directly from the pan or slide the frittata onto a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve immediately with red onion relish, if desired.