Feb 8

Feb 8 Mindela's Quiche for Company

I've been making this quiche for over 30 years and almost always before guests come to visit. Quiche is so wonderfully versatile — appropriate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, good at room temperature or warmed up, a meal or just a snack. Satisfying, savory and adaptable to the seasons, personal tastes, and dietary restrictions — not to mention what's available in your fridge. The original 'recipe' was given to me by Mindy Brownstein, a fabulous cook and inspiration!

~ Recipe ~

4 eggs, or maybe a few more

A cup and a half of half and half

The rest is up to you! I usually start with onions, scallions and shallots sautéed in a little butter. Whatever vegetables you want to add, I suggest you cook them first: sliced mushrooms, spinach, leeks, broccoli, etc. Same goes for the herbs — sautéed for a minute or two will bring out the flavors.

Once you have your filling ready, then it's time to move on to the cheese. It's tempting to use a bag of shredded cheese, and I often do if time is tight, but top-quality, freshly shredded cheese makes a real difference here, especially if your quiche is fairly simple, without a lot of ingredients. You can combine cheeses of course: gruyere, swiss, fontina, brie, blue — it's just a matter of taste. Whatever pairs well on a cheese board pairs well in a quiche, but remember to sauté first. I tend to stay away from 'weepy' vegetables like tomatoes or squashes.

Those of you who make quiches will notice an obvious omission — the nutmeg. I love nutmeg, I use it all the time, but never in quiche. It just doesn't sit right with me, like adding a pinch of cinnamon to an omelette. In a word: NO. I also skip white pepper and salt, since cheese is so salty. Best to let your diners make those adjustments.

I generally make my own crust, I use this Martha Stewart recipe or I buy one from a local bakery, Mirabelle's in Burlington. If you do decide to use a store-bought crust — the small batch, roll out your own variety are far superior to the mass produced, pre-formed ones.

While I'm mixing up the custard and shredding the cheese, the rolled out pie crust goes into the freezer for 15 minutes or more. This will help it keep its shape while it's in the oven. Here's a more detailed recipe for those who like a little hand holding:

Three Onion or Basic Quiche

1 Onion, diced
4 - 5 Scallions (white parts removed), sliced thin
I medium Shallot, diced
1 Tablespoon Butter
6 - 8 ounces of good quality Cheddar Cheese, shredded to measure 1 1/2 - 2 cups
1 1/2 Cups 1/2 & 1/2 (or more if necessary to fill pie crust)
4 extra large Eggs (or more if necessary)
1 uncooked Pie Crust, bottom only

Roll out your pie dough, place in a pie plate and flute the edge. Put the uncooked crust into the freezer while you prepare the rest of the quiche.

Dice onions, scallions and shallots. Sauté in a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat to soften, 5 - 7 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°

Shred the cheese until it measures 1 1/2 cups.

Whisk eggs in mixing bowl, add half and half and mix until color is uniform, a pale light yellow.

Remove crust from freezer and place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.

Add cooked filling to the pie crust, then the cheese, then the custard. If you need more custard, whisk together an egg and some half and half, add to the pie shell.

Bake on center rack for 15 minutes. If the crust is browning to fast, cover loosely with foil.

Bake for another 30 - 45 minutes, until custard is set (knife inserted in center will come out clean).

Set on wire rack to cool. Quiche will be quite puffed up when removed from oven, it will settle down as it cools.