STAMA Cooking Demo

St. Thomas Aquinas Mothers' Association (STAMA) has a yearly Spring Boutique... a shopping extravaganza.  An average of 500 attendees shop + socialize + eat + more shopping.  This year I was asked if I would conduct a cooking demo..."why yes, my pleasure" was my response. 
I'm not sure why but I knew exactly what I'd be demoing:  a frittata and fideo (Mexican vermicelli dish).  I chose these two because 1) a frittata is the easiest & prettiest entertaining dish that always impresses guest and  2) fideo is baby food that grown ups enjoy too...this is what I call Mexican spaghetti.  Fideo was always a staple dish in my childhood home and now it is in my home.  Pure comfort food. This is the first pasta dish Mexican babies eat.  And, from the audience Cubans and other Latin cultures too.
Both dishes were welcomed and raved about.  Thank you.

Sun-dried Tomato + Artichoke + Goat Cheese Frittata

Sun-dried Tomato + Artichokes + Goat Cheese Frittata

12 Cage-free eggs, whisk

2 T canola oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt + pepper to taste

8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil or hydrated, cut in strips

4 artichokes in water/oil, quartered

1/2 cup goat cheese

2 T Parmesan cheese

Heat oven on broil.
Heat 10 inch skillet on high.  Whisk eggs, garlic, salt & pepper.  Once skillet is just about to smoke add egg mixture, lower heat to medium.  Pierce the bottom of the frittata to let the new runny egg get some direct heat, pierce 10 times.  Top the egg mixture with the last 4 ingredients.  Move to oven and broil for 6-8 minutes.  Let it rest for about 4-5 minutes it will tighten up a bit making it easy to slice.
Enjoy.

Fideo = Mexican Spaghetti

Fideo

1 1/2 cups of toasted vermicelli

2 T canola oil

1/2 pound hormone free ground beef

2 garlic cloves

1/4 t oregano

1/4 ground cumin
8 oz tomato sauce canned or fresh puree

3 cups water

salt + pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Skillet method:
Heat skillet to medium high.  Add oil and vermicelli.  Toast pasta to a lightly caramel color.  Remove vermicelli from skillet, set aside.  Add ground beef to skillet, cook.  Add remaining ingredients except cilantro.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Pasta should be soft but not mushy.  Add cilantro.  Serve. 
If you would like it a bit soupy add more water.

Pressure cooking method:
Toast vermicelli in a skillet.  Cook beef directly in pressure cooker.  Add all ingredients except cilantro.  Lock the pressure cooker.  Pressure cook for 3 minutes.  Release pressure.  Add cilantro.  Serve.

Note: any tiny pasta works well.  Stars, wheels, orzo, alphabets etc....
*a 1/4 cup onion is also a good ingredient in this dish.  This dish is made a little different in each household.  A bit like chicken soup, everyone has their own recipe. 

Buen Provecho!