Mushroom Spinach Frittata

1T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
7 mushroom caps, sliced, stems removed
 1/4t salt
2 medium cloves, garlic, minced (or pressed)
4oz frozen chopped spinach

6 eggs
6T water
2t dry parsley
1t dry chopped chives
1/4t dry thyme
1/4t dry tarragon
1/4t dry basil
1/4t cayenne
1/4t salt
20 grinds black pepper
3oz cheddar cheese, grated

Equipment:   oven, stove, oven-safe skillet in the 10-12 inch diameter range (I prefer cast-iron), spatula for stirring (I like wood or bamboo), rubber or silicone spatula for getting everything out of a bowl, cutting board, knife for chopping vegetables, grater for the cheese (if you buy it in blocks)

Preheat your oven to 350F and make sure you have a rack in the middle of the oven.

Heat your skillet over medium heat.  You're going to leave it on medium the whole time you're working on the stove.   When it's hot enough for water that is flicked onto it to sizzle and roll around, add butter and swirl it around the skillet until it has melted, then add the onion and 1/4t of the salt.    When the onions look about like this (a few getting translucent, but not all of them), add the mushroom slices and toss them around with the onions and make sure they're all separated.   Sautee for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes, so that some browning can occur.   Add the garlic about halfway through.


Meanwhile, crack the eggs in a medium-large bowl, add the water, and whisk until smooth and slightly frothy.   Add the herbs in steps, so that they get fairly evenly distributed through the egg.  Then add the cheese in the same way.  Set this aside until it's time to add it.

Once the onions and mushrooms have given up all of their liquid and have gotten some nice brown bits on them, add the spinach and get it evenly incorporated with them.   Continue cooking this for 2-4 minutes.   The main thing you're looking for is to get most of the ice melted and water cooked off.

When the spinach is looking somewhat dry, add the egg-cheese-herb mixture.   I usually wind up using a rubber or silicone spatula to try to get everything out of the bowl.   Keep stirring everything to get it mixed well, and to keep the egg from really setting until most of the water is cooked out.  Be sure to scrape the bottom from time to time.  This will take 3-5 minutes.   The egg will start to puff up in places when it's close to time.  The parts that don't puff up will start to take on a "cottage cheese" quality in their texture.   Now is the time to put the whole skillet into the oven.   Bake for about 15 minutes.   It will puff up some as it cooks.

Cut it into slices and eat it pretty soon after it comes out of the oven.  I usually wait until the puffed-up bits have settled back down.