Earth Day is being observed worldwide on Friday. It’s a holiday unlike any other — a celebration based simply on the fact that we all live together on this planet and benefit from taking care of all its many natural wonders and resources.
Earth Day had its start in 1970 as an environmental-themed teach-in on American college campuses, with an amazing 20 million or so people taking part that first year. It raised such widespread awareness that soon all sorts of important organizations and legislation — including the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal Clean Air and Clean Water acts, and the Endangered Species Act — came about as a result. By 1990, Earth Day had spread around the globe.
That widespread awareness of the need to look after our planet certainly had its effect on America’s kitchens, too. You can thank Earth Day, at least in part, for the shift in attitudes that led to the spread of farmers markets, the celebration of seasonality in restaurant and home kitchens, and the appreciation of organic and sustainably raised ingredients.
With all that in mind, I’d like to share a recipe that makes the most of the offerings you’d find in your local farmers market: an egg-white omelet with farmers-market vegetables. It features an assortment of produce: asparagus, baby spinach, mushrooms, tomato, avocado, watercress and a touch of fresh serrano chile pepper. But you could substitute whatever other vegetables you might prefer.
Egg-white omelets have become very popular in recent years among people who want to cut down on fat but still get lots of healthy protein. If you want a touch of flavor and golden color without too much additional fat, substitute an egg yolk for one of the whites called for in the ingredients list.
I generally like to cook one omelet at a time, though you could also prepare a larger omelet in a larger pan for two, three or four people, cutting the omelet into individual portions after cooking. Either way, you’ll find that the recipe takes just minutes to prepare.
I cook most of the vegetables quickly in a little olive oil, drain off excess liquid (a must if you’re including spinach), then mix them in with the eggs before cooking the omelet. The remaining vegetables, uncooked, become garnishes and a simple salad to accompany the eggs. The combination satisfies greatly, whether you serve the omelet for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and at any time of year … especially for Earth Day!
EGG-WHITE OMELET WITH FARMERS-MARKET VEGETABLES
Serves 1
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil large cultivated mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 spear asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into slices 1/4 inch thick
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 cups packed), plus 1 ounce for serving
1/2 to 1 tablespoon serrano chile, chopped, seeded and deveined
5 large cage-free egg whites
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tomato, diced and seeded
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium heavy nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and asparagus, and saute, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add 2 ounces of spinach and the serrano chile; saute briefly, just until the spinach wilts. Transfer to a sieve set over a bowl. Press to release excess liquid.
Pour the egg whites, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste into another container or bowl. With an immersion blender or a wire whisk, blend the whites until smooth and frothy. Stir in the drained sauteed vegetables.
Over high heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more oil to the skillet. Add the egg-white mixture. Shake the pan back and forth, stirring with the back of the fork to scramble lightly, about 1 minute. Spread half of the tomatoes across the center. Cook until the egg whites are opaque and gently set, about 1 minute longer.
With the fork, fold the near edge of the omelet in toward the center and over the filling. Fold the far edge in over the center.
Slide or push the omelet toward the far end of the skillet. Grip the handle from underneath. With your free hand, hold a plate almost vertically near the skillet. Tilt the skillet, and move the plate underneath to roll the omelet onto the plate.
Arrange the remaining spinach and tomato around the omelet, garnish with parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.