Duck Eggs, Frittata and Garlic Kale

I discovered duck eggs two or three years ago at my CSA farm, Cure Organic Farm, and it was an instant love affair for me. I was immediately enchanted by their different colors, their larger size and of course the seeming novelty about them. I bought a dozen during my winter CSA share, with no idea what to do with them, and Anne Cure (farmer) suggested they are great in baking so I baked.

Throughout the late fall I used them in more and more dishes and was officially addicted by mid December when my winter share ended. I parted, with one last dozen, and confessed to Paul Cure I felt sure I’d need a 12 step program for duck eggs by mid January (he sweetly assured me if I was ever unable to ‘take it’ I could call them and they rustle me up a dozen). I did make it over the winter but will admit thinking of them often!

 

Duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs, sometimes almost double in size. A large part of their volume is in the deep golden yolk, which also can be almost double the size of a chicken egg yolk and is full of rich, fats and nutrients. Overall the duck egg has more nutrients than a chicken egg including more protein in the white.

 

Duck eggs are more expensive (usually double chicken eggs) which has to do with ducks’ egg laying habits. A duck’s output is less than a chicken’s; they lay maybe every other day unlike a chicken which will lay eggs daily. This makes the eggs more expensive with regard to the cost/egg for a duck versus a chicken. Ducks also will bury their eggs making it more like a scavenger hunt to find them at times than the straight forward task of gathering chicken eggs from a coop. When the ducks at Cure Organic Farm moved from sharing ample dry land quarters with the farm chickens to a spot I refer to as ‘the resort’ (a great pond with adjoining shelter) the availability of eggs dropped significantly as many of the duck eggs were ending up on the bottom of the pond.

 

 

FRITTATA with GARLIC KALE

 

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

 

STEP 2: In a large bowl beat the eggs with some salt and pepper and stir in the basil and the Parmesan cheese.

 

STEP 3: Place olive oil in a heavy, oven proof skillet at medium-high heat. Pour in egg mixture and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook, without touching/stirring, until the bottom is firm; about 10-15 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHERE TO BUY DUCK EGGS: In the Boulder Colorado area Cure Organic Farm and Grant Family Farm (Wellington CO) both have them though I’d inquire first. Supply is often not predictable and Cure Organic Farm also supplies them to local restaurants.

I also noted a national supply available to ship online at extremely high cost. I suggest asking local farmers, at your local Farmer’s Market, doing a Google search. I find my relentless pursuit when I want to find such a thing always surfaces a surprising source! Please post in the comments below if you have leads to share with other readers too!