Kookoo Kadoo (Persian Zucchini Frittata)

I'm a big fan of frittatas.  When I saw an email about a persian frittata, that got me googling recipes for a while.  After reading several that sounded really good and then figuring out what ingredients I had on hand, this is what I came up with.  It is really good.  The only thing I will change for next time is to use a smaller baking dish.  I used a 9x13 and it was a little too thin for me.  I would love to use more cayenne too but a certain little five year old I know would complain about it being too spicy.  Ah, such is life.

3 large zucchini, washed, peeled and grated
4 large eggs
1 medium onion, peeled and grated, discard juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 375F.  Sprinkle the grated zucchini with salt and let sit in a colander for 15 minutes to get the moisture out and drain.
In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.  Mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture in a greased oven-proof dish and bake for about 30-40 minutes till it starts to set and the edges turn brown.

Easy and delicious!

Baked Chicken with Eggplant, Zucchini, & Tomato Ragout

I  had to come up with something relatively quick for dinner last night because my daughter had ballet/tap class in the afternoon and I didn't have a lot of time for dinner.  This is what I came up with - baked chicken with eggplant, zucchini, & tomato ragout, quinoa, and mixed greens salad with tomatoes, avocado and goat cheese.

For the chicken dish, I first diced the (1) eggplant, (1/2)onion, (2 cloves) garlic, (2 small) zucchini, and (4) roma tomatoes.

Next, I seasoned 4 chicken breasts (cut in half) with salt and pepper.  I heated an oven safe pan over high heat and added enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Once the oil was hot, I added the chicken breasts and browned (5-6 minutes) each side.

I then removed the chicken, added the eggplant, a couple springs of rosemary and thyme, onion and a little more oil.  I lowered the heat a little and let that cook until the onions were translucent.  I then added the zucchini and half a cup of white wine.

Once the wine reduced by half, I added the tomatoes and some salt and pepper.  I then placed the chicken on top of the veggies and put the whole thing in the oven until the chicken was cooked through (about 15 minutes, but check the temp to make sure it's 160). I also poured myself a glass to drink while I finished preparing dinner.  (can't let it go to waste!)

Once the chicken was cooked, I removed it from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

I also prepared quinoa and salad to go with dinner while the chicken and ragout was cooking.  Here is the finished plate - not bad for a quick weeknight meal.