okay, so quiche isn't overwhelmingly creative; but i have to admit that it has been a challenge moving to a meat-free diet. while we have been trying to fill the protein void with fish and soy, the girls have been slow to respond to some of the soy based dishes. then it occurred to me in a moment of "am i seriously just thinking of this now?" that we could eat eggs for dinner. those little brown delights of protein packed goodness - so many wonderful things you can do with them! so i present the first of our delightful egg-filled dishes - quiche. at one of the restaurants i worked at in my early 20s, quiche lorraine was a sunday brunch staple; and as tired as i was of laboring in someone else's kitchen all day, i would find myself at least twice a week trying new combinations of flavors for quiches at home. the beauty of this dish is that it can be enjoyed any time of day, it is almost better as a leftover and the ease of it will encourage you to explore endless flavor combinations yourself - this week is smoked salmon and asparagus:
one of my favorite parts of the quiche is the pate brisee {or pie crust}. this is a no fail recipe that i have been using for over 10 years - it is rich, buttery, flaky - everything a pie crust should be. when i make it, i tend to make 3-6 crusts at a time as they freeze beautifully for up to six months.
pate brisee {for one crust}
~ 1 1/2 c. flour
~ 1/4 t. salt
~ 9 T. butter, cold and cut in chunks
~ 3 T. ice water
the easiest method for creating this particular crust is in a food processor. i have not attempted to make it with a pastry blender but i am sure it is doable. in the processor {fit with the blade} add the flour, salt and butter. process until the flour resembles a fine meal - then through the opening on the top of the lid, add the 3 T. of ice water - continue to allow the processor to run until a ball of dough is formed. remove the dough and form it into a thick disc. if you want to use it right away, you should refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes prior to rolling it out. if you will use it within a day or so, wrap it tightly in plastic {or a ziploc} and store in the refrigerator. as mentioned, if does store quite well in the freezer. i wrap each disc individually and remove from the freezer within two hours of when i would like to use it.
for the quiche, this pie crust should be rolled out and placed into a lightly buttered quiche pan or deep pie dish. finish the edges as you wish. the crust should be pre-baked at 375 for 20 minutes, or until it begins to turn golden. when pre-baking crusts, they have a habit of rising a bit - be sure to place pie weights or beans into the shell to avoid this - using another pie dish that fits perfectly inside the shell works as well.
quiche filling:
~ 3 eggs
~ 1 1/2 c. heavy cream
~ 1 c. havarti {shredded}
~ 1 c. steamed asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
~ 1 c. smoked salmon {flaked} - this is about two packages worth
~ salt and pepper to taste
to shred the havarti - because it is such a soft cheese - place it into the freezer for about 10 minutes to make it easier to shred. whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. stir in havarti, asparagus and salmon. add pepper and salt - you should not have to salt this too much as smoked salmon is on the rather salty side. pour the filling into the baked crust and place in oven at 325 for 45 minutes. the quiche is done when an inserted fork comes out clean. let the quiche settle for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.
as mentioned, the variations are endless - the basics are: 3 eggs; 1 1/2 c. heavy cream, 3 c. filling and seasonings. have fun, get creative and share what you have discovered!
xoox~jla
