food/science geeks- can you help?

[HollyBearsMom]

WHy would portion of my frittata have turned gray?? It has the same tinge that the yolks of hardboiled eggs sometimes get.

 It was a very simple recipe-eggs, gruyere, leeks, potatoes, salt and pepper. I sauteed the leeks in a little olive oil and butter.Added slice yukon golds and cooked until firm/tender, season with S/P.  I poured teh beaten eggs over the veggies and cooked until slightly set along the edges.  Sprinkled the whole thing with shredded gruyere and baked at 350 until done.  It came out very moist and tender so I know it wasn't over cooked.

No recipe, just made it up as I went along. Oh I used a cast iron pan but I always do and it has never caused my frittata or any other egg dish to discolor before.

This picture don't really show but you can kind see the grayish/green along the corner edges and along the middle.

Any ideas??

[MusicianDad]

It can happen if they eggs are cooked too hot, as well as too long, or if the eggs are older (not expired just older). It's ferrous sulfide and it's perfectly fine to eat.

[HollyBearsMom]

thanks MD!

Oh and it was delicious!  I had no qualms eating it but was surprised because I make frittatas all the time and this has never happened before. I do low and slow on the stove top and then shift to oven to finish.  My oven can be wonky tho-maybe it was running too hot.  The eggs were from my neighbor and they weren't more than a few days old.

[sapphire_chan]

Or from the potatoes.

Turning gray, or even black, is a common thing for potatoes.

Personally, I've done frittata type dishes with older eggs frequently and cooked them very very hot and never have seen any gray. But both times I did a similar dish with potatoes it was gray as can be.

[MusicianDad]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan 

Or from the potatoes.

Turning gray, or even black, is a common thing for potatoes.

Personally, I've done frittata type dishes with older eggs frequently and cooked them very very hot and never have seen any gray. But both times I did a similar dish with potatoes it was gray as can be.

It's not very common with anything where the eggs are scrambled, but it can happen.