Quiche

 

Quiche originated in the region of Lorraine when it was under German rule and dates back to the 14^th century.  Originally it was a tart made of bread dough with eggs cream and bacon.  Under French rule cheese was added to quiche and a pastry was used for the crust.  It evolved into a brunch or light meal and can be made with what is on hand.

Quiche is a savory open tart.  It consists of crust, filling of cheese and sometimes meat and vegetables covered with a custard sauce made of eggs and cream or milk.  It can be made from what is on hand.  Different regions of France have their own version.  Quiche Lorraine is basic quiche with bacon or ham.  If you add onions to this you have Quiche Alsacienne.  A plain quiche with only cheese is Quiche au fromage.  If you add mushrooms to the cheese, you have Quiche aux champignons.   If the quiche is made with spinach, it is Quiche Florentine. If tomatoes are added, you have Quiche Provençale.

Crusts can be very rich.  Puff paste can be used.  Put I use my favorite pie crust.  I feel that the filling is rich enough.  If you disagree, research a pastry crust with eggs.  Often the rim of the crust is brushed with egg wash before baking.

The filling is usually a strong cheese like Swiss cheese, Emmentaler or Gruyère.  Other cheese can be used.  You may find recipes online that do use other types of cheeses.  The grated cheese is often tosses with a small amount of flour and placed in the unbaked crust.  Add the other ingredients that you choose to use and toss gently with the grated cheese.

Egg custard can be very simple, 4-5 eggs beaten with some cream or milk.  I like to use light cream or half and halt with tablespoon or two of sour cream.  Beat until totally blended and pour over the cheese.  The pie crust should be filled, but not over filled.

Quiche is a simple meal.  I like to serve a green salad and fresh fruit with it.  A nice white wine also goes well.  The quiche should be the center of the meal and the accompaniments should add to the quiche.

 

 

This Week’s Challenge – Make a Quiche with what you have on hand

 

            Choose your crust, cheese and fillings.  You may want to make an occasion for this and serve it at a brunch for a couple of friends. Plan the meal and remember to make the quiche the center.  You may want to make two different quiches to offer a choice.

 

Tip for this Week – Pie crust

            My basic crust used to be flour, Crisco shortening, a little salt and water.  It was nothing special.  Crisco removed the trans fats and the crust ended up flavorless and pale.  So I did a six month search for a good basic crust and settled for this one.  The secret is keeping everything very cold.  Work quickly and process and handle the dough as little as possible.

 

Punkin’s Basic Pie Crust

           

The ingredients

2 ½ C All purpose flour

1 t        salt

1 t        sugar

1 C      Butter, ice cold, and diced into cubes

6-8 T   Water ice cold

 

1.    Dice the butter. Use unsalted butter if you can.  Place it in the freezer to keep as cold as you can until it is ready to use it. 

 

 

Using cold butter, cut the bar in half
lengthwise and cut each half in half.

Turn the bar on its side and repeat the
first step.

 



Cut the bar in half crosswise and cut
each half in fourths. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should end up with even cubes
of butter.  Since the butter warms
up I set it in freezer for a few
 minutes until needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.    Measure the water in a measuring cup and add an ice cube to get it very cold.  Set this in the freezer. 

3.    In a food processor with the cutting blade, add the flour, salt and sugar.  Pulse a few times to mix the dry ingredients. 

 

 

 

4.    Add the diced butter to the food processor and pulse 8-10 times.  You should still see small chunks of butter. 

 

Pulse the processor about 8 times.

 

 

5.    Add a little of the ice water (about a teaspoon or 2) and pulse 1-2 times, add more water pulse as before.  Continue until 6-8 table spoons of water are used.

 

 

Add the water a little at a time
while the processor is on.

This how it looks after the
water is added.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.    The dough should remain crumbly but begin to clump together.  You want to pulse as little as you can. 

7.    Turn on to a floured board and gentle form in to two balls.  Flatten each ball and wrap in plastic wrap. 

 

Lump the dough together

Form into a ball or log.  Handle as little
as possible




 

Divide the dough in two balls and
flatten.  Wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate

 

8.    Place them in the refrigerator for at least two hours before use. 

9.    When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature for 10-15 minutes. 

10. Then roll out for pies.  This makes enough dough for one 9’’ pie.  

 

I have used one recipe to make a cobbler in a 9 x 13 pan.  Remember the amount is generous.  You made be able to get two crusts for a pie and have enough left over for a small tart.

 

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Punkin's Pie Crust

by Unknown May-31-2016

My basic crust used to be flour, Crisco shortening, a little salt and water. It was nothing special. Crisco removed the trans fats and the crust ended up flavorless and pale. So I did a six month search for a good basic crust and settle for this one. The secret is keeping everything very cold. Work quickly and handle as little as possible.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C Flour
• 1 t Salt
• 1 t Sugar
• 1 C Butter, diced and ice cold
• 6-8 T Water, ice cold

Instructions

1. Dice the butter. Use unsalted butter if you can. Place it in the freezer to keep as cold as you can until it is ready to use it. 2. Measure the water in a measuring cup and add an ice cube to get it very cold. Set this in the freezer. 3. In a food processor with the cutting blade, add the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse a few times to mix the dry ingredients. 4. Add the diced butter to the food processor and pulse 8-10 times. You should still see small chunks of butter. 5. Add a little of the ice water (about a teaspoon or 2) and pulse 1-2 times, add more water pulse as before. Continue until 6-8 table spoons of water are used.6. The dough should remain crumbly but begin to clump together. You want to pulse as little as you can. 7. Turn on to a board and gentle form in to two balls. Flatten each ball and wrap in plastic wrap. 8. Place them in the refrigerator for at least two hours before use. 9. When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature for 10-15 minutes. 10. Then roll out for pies. This makes enough dough for one 9’’ pie.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: Total time: 20 mins Yield: 2 pie crusts

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Punkin’s Basic Quiche

 

The ingredients

1          Pie crust

2 C      Grated Swiss cheeses

2-4      Eggs

1 ½ C  Light cream

½ C     Sherry

1 t        Salt

1 t        Nutmeg

½ t       Pepper

 

1.    Place cheese in prepared pie crust. 

 

2.    Beat the remaining ingredients together and pour over the cheese. 

Cream

Eggs, sherry and spices blended
with the cream

 

 

Quiche ready for the oven

 

 

3.    Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. 

4.    Turn down the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes.  Until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 

Options:  This is a good way to use leftovers.  Add finely chopped onion, ham, bacon, turkey, shrimp, crab or another meat to the filling.  Experiment with different cheeses and vegetables. Traditional quiche always contains Swiss cheese or a cheese very similar to Swiss.

 

 

 

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Basic Quiche

by Grace Barnes May-31-2016

This is a good way to use leftovers. Add finely chopped onion, ham, bacon, turkey, shrimp, crab or another meat to the filling. Experiment with different cheeses and vegetables. Traditional quiche always contains Swiss cheese.

Ingredients

• one Pie crust
• 2 C Swiss cheese, grated
• 3-4 Eggs
• 1 1/2 C Light cream
• 1/2 C Sherry
• 1 t Salt
• 1 t Nutmeg
• 1/2 t Pepper

Instructions

1. Place cheese in prepared pie crust. 2. Beat the remaining ingredients together and pour over the cheese. 3. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. 4. Turn down the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes. Until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Details

Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 1 hour 5 mins Yield: one 9" Quiche or 6-8 servings

Quiche Lorraine

  

            1 C      Bacon, crisp fried and crumbled (ham or Canadian bacon can be used)

 

Crisp bacon crumbled

Quiche ingredients

 

1.    Cook the bacon and crumble it. (or dice the ham or Canadian bacon)

2.    Follow the recipe for basic quiche above.

3.    Add the bacon to the grated cheese and toss gently.

 

 

Bacon tossed with grated Swiss Cheese

 

4.    Continue with the rest of the recipe.

Quiche Lorraine ready for the oven

 

Quiche aux Legumes

 

Quiche ingredients

Vegetable selection, zucchini,
bell pepper, and spinach

            1½ C   Vegetables sautéed

            2-3 T   Butter, unsalted

 

1.    Using the basic quiche recipe above.

2.    Select a varied of vegetables like, mushrooms, onions, spinach, bell pepper broccoli, artichoke hearts, or whatever you like.

3.    Finely chop the vegetables.

4.    Melt the butter in a skillet.

 

 

Saute in the butter until tender

I added the fresh spinach at the end

 

5.    Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until they are softened.

6.    Set the vegetables aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

7.    Add the grated cheese to the pie crust.

8.    Add the vegetable and gently toss.

 

 

9.    Pour the rest of the ingredients over the cheese vegetable mixture.

 

 

Eggs mixed with a little cream

The rest of the cream and
ingredients added.

 

 

10. Continue with the rest of the recipe.

 

Quiche aux Legumes ready for the oven

Vegetable of the Week

 

Eggplant Casserole

 

            This is a diet version of Eggplant Parmesan.  There is no bread or oil added.  Eggplant is very low in calories.  It’s not the same as Eggplant Parmesan, but it is still very good.

 

1 lg.                 Eggplant, diced

1-2 jars           Marinara sauce, or other tomato sauce for pasta

1 C                  Parmesan or Romano cheese grated

1 C                  Mozzarella, grated or diced.

 

The ingredients

 

1.    Spray a 2-3 qt. casserole dish with Pam.

2.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3.    Wash and dry the eggplant.  Slice in ¼ inch slices and then dice.

Sliced eggplant

Diced eggplant

 

4.    Place a little sauce in the bottom of the casserole.

5.    Add a layer of diced eggplant.

First layer eggplant sauce and cheese

 

6.    Top with more sauce.

7.    Cover with cheese.

8.    Add another layer of eggplant, sauce and cheese.




I used some slice Provolone cheese and it
is ready for the oven.

 

9.    Continue making layers until the casserole is full or you run out of ingredients.

10. Cover the casserole and bake for 40 minutes.

11. More cheese can be added to the top and return to the oven for another five minutes.

12. Serve over the pasta of your choice.  Top with fresh basil and more cheese.

 

Fresh out of the oven

Note:  I sometimes add browned Italian sausage, ground beef or meatballs to the casserole as a layer (eggplant, meat, sauce and cheese).  Try different cheese.  I sometimes ass sliced mushrooms to the diced eggplant.

 

 

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Punkin's Eggplant Casserole

by Grace Barnes May-31-2016

This is a diet version of Eggplant Parmesan. There is no bread or oil added. Eggplant is very low in calories. It’s not the same as Eggplant Parmesan, but it is still very good.

Ingredients

• One large Eggplant, diced
• 1-2 jars Maranara Sauce
• 1 C Parmasan or Romano, grated
• 1 C Mozzarella, grated or diced

Instructions

1. Spray a 2-3 qt. casserole dish with Pam.2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.3. Wash and dry the eggplant. Slice in ¼ inch slices and then dice.4. Place a little sauce in the bottom of the casserole.5. Add a layer of diced eggplant.6. Top with more sauce.7. Cover with cheese.8. Add another layer of eggplant, sauce and cheese9. Continue making layers until the casserole is full or you run out of ingredients.10. Cover the casserole and bake for 40 minutes.11. More cheese can be added to the top and return to the oven for another five minutes.12. Serve over the pasta of your choice.I sometimes add browned Italian sausage, ground beef or meatballs to the casserole as a layer (eggplant, meat, sauce and cheese). Try different cheese. I sometimes ass sliced mushrooms to the diced eggplant.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 6-8 Servings

New next month Salad of the Week will be replace Vegetable of the Week.  We will go back to vegetables in the future.  This time of year we all lie to eat a little lighter.  Salad of the Week will continue through the warm months.  Some will be great for a light meal.  Others will be a good side dish.  Often a recipe for a dressing will be included.

 Happy Cooking!