Double Quiche Day
Jilly moans in the kitchen after seeing yet more packaged junk in television ads passing for nutritious meals and is determined to continue to bake from scratch. Inspiration this week came from author Michael Pollan, who says, “The best diet is — one you cook for yourself”.
The spring weather just seems to need some fragrant and delicious tasting quiche, so here goes. Let`s make that a double. One won`t last long anyway. You will need pie pastry for two large pie plates. (Recipe to follow). The basis to a good quiche is in the ratio of eggs, cream and cheese combination you choose. With a little experimenting, Jilly found that the following works for the right balance that will then support the ingredients you want to put in your quiche.
8 eggs
1 pint of ½ & ½
½ pint whipping cream
1 cup shredded Swiss or gruyere cheese
Any assortment of veggies will do. Today, two delicious quiches, one made all veggie and one classic Quiche Lorraine, with tomato and bacon.
Suggested veggies: (1/4 - 1/3 c. each)
Broccoli
Red onion
Red pepper
Asparagus
Mushroom
Or any combination you like. Spinach or kale are other good ideas.
Quiche Lorraine:
6 slices bacon
1 medium tomato sliced thin
small bunch of parsley
First, prepare all your veggies – chopped or diced medium.
Fry the bacon, drain on paper towel to absorb some of the fat and allow to cool, then cut into small pieces.
Prepare the pastry crust (recipe to follow).
In a large bowl or food processor, mix 8 eggs, 1 pint of ½ & ½, plus ½ pint of whipping cream with the cheese.
Again, we are in a no low-calorie, no low-fat zone, but spring cleaning around the house will burn this off.
Add a little salt and pepper to taste. A further touch to a really tasty quiche is in the seasoning. Use a dash of cayenne and nutmeg along with some salad herbs. If you`ve got fresh herbs, all the better.
Next, line the pastry with ingredients (veggies in one, tomato and bacon in the second), then gently ladle the cream, egg, and cheese mixture over top, filling the pastry about 3/4 full. Sprinkle some additional parsley on top. You can create a little artistry by topping the mixture with additional slices of tomato or asparagus, as seen in the photo.
Bake at 375° for ~ 40 minutes until the custard is set. Insert a knife in the middle. It should come out clean.
Allow to cool and then serve for breakfast, or lunch with a salad, or just any old time when some comfort food is needed through the day.
Quiche will keep in the fridge for a few days, but does not freeze well. And, it usually disappears quickly anyway, so you won’t be worrying about any of this left over.
From Jilly’s kitchen to yours – Enjoy! ?
Tried and True Pastry Recipe
4 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. vinegar
Mix egg and vinegar and fill to 2/3 c with water.
I pound lard allowed to come to room temperature
Additional flour for dusting
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
Cut in the lard a little at a time and mix loosely.
Add the egg, vinegar, and water then start to knead until a ball forms – just a few minutes as working the flour too much will result in a tough pastry.
Add additional flour – ¼ c. at a time if it is not coming together properly. Divide the dough into thirds. Dust a portion of your kitchen counter with 1/3 c. flour to then roll out the dough for each pie plate.
This recipe makes enough for 3 large single pies and a dozen tarts. Pastry freezes well, so save the remainder to make a chicken pot pie later in the week. (Recipe to follow next post).