Egg-White Frittata with Caramelized Onions, Shiitake Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

Wouldn't it be nice to have a lunch like this every day:

While overlooking this?

I for one would relish the opportunity to overlook this great blue body of water while savoring a satisfying and memorable lunch. And while I can't enjoy this type of luxury every day, I managed to escape the cold for a few days of good food and sun in the Bahamas.

Fortunately for us our resort provided us with a full kitchen, complete with stove, cooking utensils, silverware, wine glasses, chef's knives, and a cutting board, so I was able to continue cooking right through the vacation.  I decided to make this frittata because, most simply put, it includes the best of what we could find in the supermarket.  Another reason this frittata came to fruition is in part from my mom's high cholesterol, which she has been afflicted with for the past 25 years.  Her specific dietary restriction recommends cutting out as many high-cholesterol foods (in this case egg yolks) as possible from her diet. So, you can enjoy this frittata thoroughly because it's quite heart-healthy.

Truth be told, I actually enjoyed the lightness of the egg whites paired with the sweet and crispy onions and the earthiness of the mushrooms.  This dish takes a little bit of time to put together, due to the slow caramelizing of the onions, but you only need one sautee pan for the whole thing and the cooking itself is pretty straightforward.  Enjoy with a crisp glass of white wine, such as a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand or California. 

Egg-White Frittata w/ Caramelized Onions, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese  - serves 3-4

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 sprigs basil

12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

8 egg whites

6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

a large handful fresh basil, thinly sliced

1.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.

2.  Add the onions, the 2 basil sprigs, and sprinkle with a dash of pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, slightly crispy, and sweet, about 30 minutes. 

3.  Stir in the brown sugar; remove the basil and pour onions into a warm bowl or dish.

4.  Pour one more tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and raise heat to medium-high.  Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, touching only once to turn over halfway through, about 10 minutes total. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Remove from sautee pan.

5.  In a measuring cup or small bowl, beat the egg whites and add salt and pepper.  Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the sautee pan, reduce heat to medium, and add the egg whites.

6.  Cook the eggs without touching, until they are slightly solid in the center and still loose around the edges, about 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle the onions, mushrooms, basil, and goat cheese evenly over the egg whites. 

7.  Continue cooking, pushing the egg whites towards the center of the pan and tilting it so that the runny parts reach the pan and cook as well, about 7-8 minutes longer. Sprinkle with fresh-ground black pepper if desired.