What foods make a meal feel special to you? It doesn’t have to be fancy to feel noteworthy. It’s all about the spark.
When food flickers an emotion or a memory, I don’t stand a chance. I will weep right then and there, salty tears pouring onto my fork, droplets thundering down onto a pristine plate. This passionate sentimental reaction to food is one of the reasons I love to cook. My emotional taste buds are a table of contents for my memories.
Sometimes I forget certain memories are even there, and then I take a bite. The rolodex scrolls right to the righteous spot and resonates through my mouth, brain and heart strings. This is also one of the reasons I love to eat.
Recently I had a bite of quiche that took me back to the late 1980’s. The fluffy egg, smooth goat cheese, crunchy soft brown crust was decadent but simple. I make quiche every week, but something about this undemanding combination took me back to my mother’s table during my childhood.
My first experiences with quiche were my mother’s delicious made-ahead meals. Both of my parents were in chiropractic college in Kansas City, Missouri. I was four years old and my mother was pregnant with my brother David. Between constantly studying and raising a family, with no extra help or family nearby, there simply were not enough hours in the day. Dad worked nights as a custodian for the chiropractic college. Every ounce of free time they had was spent studying.
My parents were non traditional students and a lot more was at stake going to graduate school later in life. Dad was 50 and Mom was in her late 30’s. We rarely ate out, but Mom was a gourmet cook. Things were tight, but Mom always found ways to spoil us. She and I would usually make a plate of food for Dad when he was working at the school and take it to him.
Mom didn’t make a full meal every night, but she made things that could be pulled from the freezer and thrown into the oven easily.
I know it sounds decadent, but Mom’s favorite make ahead item was quiche. It was inexpensive, filling, and healthy. And most importantly a dish Mom, Dad and I could agree on.
Mom would have a quiche making night and we would make 20 plus quiche at a time. She said if she was making one she might as well make a few dozen. The quiche had all sorts of different flavor combinations. Mom would bake the quiche partially and then fill the freezer from top to bottom with deliciousness. Quiche never became boring. It was also an activity that I could help with and loved eating. I was four years old at the time and loved getting to break the eggs and whisk them up. Thankfully neither of my parents minded the occasional egg shell in the quiche.
The slice of pie always felt special. Mom would make a small salad with greens or fruit and serve with a slice of hot buttery bread. Just typing this description, I am getting hungry for a homemade quiche. Quiche can be served in so many different ways ranging from crustless (gluten-free) to hash-brown crust (gluten-free).
The original quiche, or quiche that made the dish famous, quiche Lorraine, had a bottom crust made from bread dough, but has since evolved into pie crust. But let’s not drop the dough just yet.
Quiche, one of the most well known dishes of the open-faced egg tart family, is a mixture of cream, and or cheese, meat, veggies, seafood, or anything else that could be combined with eggs, poured into a pastry shell, and baked in the oven until it puffs and browns. You can invent your own combinations and keep your diet healthy and interesting.
This affordable, choose your own adventure meal can be enjoyed in the convenience of your own kitchen. Quiche became popular in England sometime after World War II for just that reason. The tasty trend found its way to the United States during the 1950’s. Today, different forms of quiche, strata, and other savory egg custards and casseroles are staple appetizers and entrees on the American table.
All of today’s recipes may be made with or without pie crust. I’ve included a basic pie crust recipe, but if it’s easier for you don’t worry about it and just buy the premade. Sometimes I just don’t have the time or desire and the premade save the day. Not only are there a variety of pre shaped crust and ready
to roll out crust available, but gluten-free are also available in stores. I especially love the deep dish pie crust that allows me to really load up the egg based pie.
All of today’s quiche is delicious to make ahead. They also are particularly indulgent of spring flavors. They are wonderful to make for one or for a crowd. Not sure about one of the ingredients? Feel free to mix up the flavors and make your own version.
Good luck and enjoy!
NOTE: No matter what crust I’m working with I always prick the bottom of the center of the crust with a fork several times before filling it with ingredients and bake for about five minutes or until the crust has started to get a little color on it. Just be careful not to overcook before filling with the good stuff. This gives it a little more crunch.
Good luck and enjoy!
Basic Pie Crust
1 ¼ cups sifted all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp shortening
3-4 Tbsp cold water
Sift flour and salt together into a bowl. Cut the butter and shorten it into flour with a pastry blender or fork. Do this until the mix resembles a coarse meal. Add 3 Tbsp water and mix with a fork or your fingertips until the dough may be gathered into a ball. If the dough is very crumbly, sprinkle a few drops of water over the dough, adding only enough to make the dough stick together. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill in the refrigerator one hour before rolling.
Roll the dough out onto a floured board. Using a nine to ten inch pie pan or quiche tin, fit dough to fit the surface. Cover pastry with a sheet of aluminum or parchment paper, pressing firm on the sides and along the edges of the pastry. Fill with uncooked rice or dry beans and bake in a preheated four hundred degree oven for seven minutes.
Carefully remove rice or beans and covering. If making quiche now, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and continue baking for five more minutes. Crust should not brown and should be only partially baked unless otherwise directed. Allow the pastry to cool for about five minutes before filling and baking. If making the quiche crust for use at a later time, remove rice or beans and cover, allow to cool, cover, and place in the freezer until you are ready to use it.
Goat Cheese, Spring Onion & Chive Quiche
8 servings/preheat to 350 degrees
6 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 spring onions or scallion, diced into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
4 Tbsp chives, minced
2 Tbsp butter
Using a 10 inch quiche pan, toast the crust for about 5 minutes (go over crust with a fork and poke holes about 4 times for about 16 holes). This will give you a crunchier crust.
In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt and pepper.
In the cooled pie crust, arrange spring onions into an even layer. Top with spoonfuls of goat cheese and then sprinkle with chives. Pour egg filling over the crust.
Top with 2 Tbsp butter.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Edges will be set and the quiche will jiggle only slightly in the center. Test with a toothpick or fork in the middle if unsure. The only liquid that should come out may be that of the butter.
ALlow to cool before serving. May be eaten chilled or warm. May be also made a day ahead. Allow to sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes before serving if served at room temp.
Quiche Lorraine (Cream and Bacon Quiche)
The classic version of this creamy dish contains no cheese. Diced ham sauteed in butter is especially delicious to use in place of bacon.
8 servings/preheat oven to 375 degrees
1 nine inch pastry shell (optional)
4 ounces lean bacon (6-8 slices medium thickness)
1 quart water.
8 inch pastry shell, partially cooked (7 min)
3 eggs or 2 eggs and 2 yolks
1 ½ to 2 cups heavy whipping cream or half cream and half milk
½ tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 to 2 tbsp butter cut into pea sized dots
Cut bacon into pieces about an inch long and ¼ inch wide. Simmer for 5 minutes in the water and rinse in cold water. Dry on paper towels. Brown slightly in a skillet. Press bacon pieces into the bottom of the pastry shell.
Beat the eggs, cream or cream and milk, and seasonings in a mixing bowl until blended. Check the seasonings. Pour into the pastry shell and distribute the butter pieces on top. Pour into the pastry shell.
Set in the upper third of the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes to 30 minutes, or until the quiche has puffed and browned. Slide quiche onto a hot platter and serve.
Crab and Mushroom Quiche
8 servings/preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 nine inch pastry shell (optional)
½ pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
½ pint diary sour cream (1 cup)
½ pint small curd cottage cheese (1 cup)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 drops Tabasco
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese cake (½ pound)
6 oz. Fresh or frozen crab-meat, thawed and well-drained
In a medium skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In a blender or food processor, blend eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, flour, onion powder, salt and Tabasco.
Pour mix into a large bowl. Stir in sauteed mushrooms, Jack cheese and crab meat.
Pour into a 9-10 inch pie dish or plate. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Quiche should be puffed and golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into pieces.
The recipe and photo used in today’s article are from the kitchen of Chef Babz (babzbites@gmail.com) with a little help from her mother, Dr.Rita Goldman.
