Real people eat quiche!
Feb. 4th, 2007 05:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
walton_eatsA few weeks ago we had friends here for dinner. I wanted to make quiche - it can be made ahead, it offers endless variety and it really tastes good! But one of my friends can't eat cow's milk cheese, so Gruyère was right out. My friend's spouse suggested I use Manchego instead. I thought, "Why didn't I think of that!" Manchego shares a lot of qualities of Gruyere - the flavors and textures are similar - and it's made with sheep's milk.
I made two - one with spinach and bacon and one with caramelized onions and mushrooms sautéed and finished with port. The spinach and bacon one was good, but the caramelized onion and mushroom was *outstanding*.
This made two 8-inch quiche, baked in tart pans. I use Julia's classic quiche recipe as a jumping off point and then just play.
1 recipe pâte brisée, partially baked, recipe to follow
1 recipe caramelized onions, cooled, recipe to follow
1 recipe sautéed mushrooms, cooled, recipe to follow
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely grated Manchego cheese
Preheat oven to 375F. Place a rack in upper third of oven.
Beat together eggs, cream, nutmeg and pepper. Set aside.
Place the tart pans with partially baked shells on a large baking pan. In each partially baked shell, spread a layer of caramelized onions.
Spread 1/2 cup cheese over the onions in each shell. Top with mushrooms.
Divide and pour egg/cream mixture over fillings in each pan. Allow a bit of room for puffing, but as you can see by the pictures, the liquid is almost at the top.
Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and browned. Let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pâte Brisée
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
3 tbsp shortening
5-6 tbsp ice water
In bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, combine flour, salt, butter and shortening. Process with 12-15 1-second pulses until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing for a few seconds after each addition until mixture begins to come together. Let processor run and add water, about 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together in a ball. Remove from processor and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate. Let rest at least an hour. I usually make it the day before I use it, letting it chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 400F. Divide dough in half. Roll to fit 8-inch tart pans. Line tart pans, pressing down and into the sides. Trim excess. Line each shell with foil, then fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until dough is set. Remove foil and weights, prick all over with a fork, and return to oven 3-4 more minutes until pastry just begins to color. Fill and bake as directed.
Caramelized Onions
Any excess can be saved and used in side dishes, are terrific on pizza, on burgers, hot dogs, or just plain eaten with a spoon. I *love* these things.
5 large yellow or sweet onions, thinly sliced lengthwise.
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
Low and slow is the name of the game. In a heavy pot or dutch oven, cook the onions, covered, in the butter and oil at medium low heat for 15 minutes.
Uncover, raise the heat to moderate and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, for about an hour (or longer), until the onions have turned an even, deep golden brown.
Sautéed Mushrooms
You can use any combination of mushrooms that you'd like. I wish I'd had some fresh Porcini for this!
1/3 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1/3 lb oyster mushrooms, sliced
1/3 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp dry sherry
4 Tbsp port
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté mushrooms in butter until they begin to give up some of their moisture. Add the sherry, port and thyme to the pan and cook on high until most of the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly.
I made two - one with spinach and bacon and one with caramelized onions and mushrooms sautéed and finished with port. The spinach and bacon one was good, but the caramelized onion and mushroom was *outstanding*.
This made two 8-inch quiche, baked in tart pans. I use Julia's classic quiche recipe as a jumping off point and then just play.
1 recipe pâte brisée, partially baked, recipe to follow
1 recipe caramelized onions, cooled, recipe to follow
1 recipe sautéed mushrooms, cooled, recipe to follow
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely grated Manchego cheese
Preheat oven to 375F. Place a rack in upper third of oven.
Beat together eggs, cream, nutmeg and pepper. Set aside.
Place the tart pans with partially baked shells on a large baking pan. In each partially baked shell, spread a layer of caramelized onions.
Spread 1/2 cup cheese over the onions in each shell. Top with mushrooms.
Divide and pour egg/cream mixture over fillings in each pan. Allow a bit of room for puffing, but as you can see by the pictures, the liquid is almost at the top.
Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and browned. Let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pâte Brisée
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
3 tbsp shortening
5-6 tbsp ice water
In bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, combine flour, salt, butter and shortening. Process with 12-15 1-second pulses until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing for a few seconds after each addition until mixture begins to come together. Let processor run and add water, about 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together in a ball. Remove from processor and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate. Let rest at least an hour. I usually make it the day before I use it, letting it chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 400F. Divide dough in half. Roll to fit 8-inch tart pans. Line tart pans, pressing down and into the sides. Trim excess. Line each shell with foil, then fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until dough is set. Remove foil and weights, prick all over with a fork, and return to oven 3-4 more minutes until pastry just begins to color. Fill and bake as directed.
Caramelized Onions
Any excess can be saved and used in side dishes, are terrific on pizza, on burgers, hot dogs, or just plain eaten with a spoon. I *love* these things.
5 large yellow or sweet onions, thinly sliced lengthwise.
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
Low and slow is the name of the game. In a heavy pot or dutch oven, cook the onions, covered, in the butter and oil at medium low heat for 15 minutes.
Uncover, raise the heat to moderate and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, for about an hour (or longer), until the onions have turned an even, deep golden brown.
Sautéed Mushrooms
You can use any combination of mushrooms that you'd like. I wish I'd had some fresh Porcini for this!
1/3 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1/3 lb oyster mushrooms, sliced
1/3 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp dry sherry
4 Tbsp port
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté mushrooms in butter until they begin to give up some of their moisture. Add the sherry, port and thyme to the pan and cook on high until most of the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly.
