Bird Rock Chorizo and Sweet Potato Frittata California

Breakfast at Bird Rock - I hope you can experience the wonders of a Pacific morning; fresh, cool, with so much to do before you at last put the country to bed.

Pacific morning, La Jolla

At our wonderful AirBNB in La Jolla, we experienced everything it takes to have a great break for Thanksgiving on the West Coast.  Warm weather, kayaking with dolphins, situated only a walk to the shore, with an excellent, well-stocked kitchen!  What a joy, as a break from traditional East Coast Thanksgiving at home.

Everybody arrived for the weekend before Thanksgiving - so feed them!  Always consider frittata.  Almost anything goes and it can be made fast - as long as you get up a bit early and set the coffee going!  We were west Coast, and so close to Mexico - definitely doing chorizo.  And our hosts had a fantastic herb garden, thriving on Thanksgiving; so, fresh lemon thyme and dill - oh thank you wonderful hosts!
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1/2-inch, about 1-1/2 cups
1/2 purple Bermuda onion, diced, about 1 cup
1 red chili, diced

10 oz fresh baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme, minced
1/4 lb fresh chorizo, uncased
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup grated cheese (I used a ‘Mexican Mix’)

8 eggs
1/4 cup half and half or light cream (or heavy!)
1 Tbsp fresh dill (optional)

Fresh guacamole, about 2 cups, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss the sweet potatoes into a large even-going non-stick skillet with a dash of olive oil. Sauté for about 6-8 minutes, until they begin to brown and soften. Add the onions and the chili and continue cooking for about 5-6 minutes, until everything becomes very fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and increase the heat. Sauté while mixing well to allow the mushrooms to release what water they will and brown up a bit - about another 8-10 minutes.

Set aside in a bowl.

Add the chorizo to the skillet and brown up for about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved veggie mix back to the skillet and then add the spinach. Mix with tongs as the spinach wilts, about another 3-5 minutes.

Beat together the eggs cream and dill. Toss the grated cheese over the veggie mix.

Pour the eggs over the mix on medium-high heat. Let the eggs cook a bit; you can stir gently once or just let it be - see Cook’s Note. But let the eggs cook enough such that they begin to define a clear (slightly browned) border on the skillet.

Advance the skillet to the oven and reduce to 375F. Allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes, watching carefully until the frittata is puffy and no liquid sectors remain. I would err on the undercooked side as the eggs will continue to set on the counter-top. Remove from oven and allow frittata to settle about 5 minutes, at least. It will sit for as good 30 minutes or more if you have guests - relax - and it will be wonderful.

Serve with favorite fresh guacamole.  Serves 4-6.

Cook’s Note: In this preparation I did not (have the time to) stir the eggs into the veggie mixture very much at all, so the eggs rose on top, soft and beautifully light as a feather, on a moist base of veggies and chorizo. The more traditional initial stirring should produce an equally wonderful, but perhaps slightly different result. Oh - the art of cooking!

Bird Rock, La Jolla, California