My younger brother Ryan is one of the best cooks I know. For years he has delighted us with such dishes as roasted rack of lamb with caramelized walnuts, chicken curry with lime and cilantro or dark chocolate filled croissants.

These days Ryan divides his time between Paris and Amsterdam, but this week we get him all to ourselves for days on end of old movies, games and LOTS of happy eating.

As much as we love his razzle-dazzle, knock-your-socks-off food, sometimes it’s the simple ones that are truly comforting.

My brother Ryan making breakfast for the family

He stirred and simmered the lot for a minute or two, then let it sit a bit until almost firm. Finally he topped the egg mixture with chopped cherry tomatoes and herbed feta cheese and slid the pan into the oven to finish cooking and brown the top.

Sweet tomatoes, fresh herbs and sharp cheese

Finally it was done, browned and beautiful, perfect with a slice of hot buttered raisin toast.

Ryan’s Herbed Frittata

Ingredients:

1/2 onion diced fine
1/2 red bell pepper diced fine
1/4 cup crumbled bacon bits
1/4 cup cream
8 large eggs
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary and parsley
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces herbed feta cheese

Directions:

1. Saute onion, bell pepper and bacon until vegetables are soft.
2. Beat eggs, herbs and cream together and add to pan, stirring gently to heat through. Let sit in pan over low-medium heat until mostly solid.
3. Top with cherry tomatoes and feta cheese and place under broiler for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and eggs are set.
4. Serve hot with toast.