Bad Behavior: Slow Roasted Tomato Quiche with Leeks and Gruyère

Like so many before me, I’m afraid to say, I have some unflattering qualities. I’m prone to interrupting and am wildly competitive. My hair makes me look like a Fraggle when I wake up and I have been told on more than one occasion that I am nearly unbearably cheerful in the morning. I think To-Do lists are fun, and find a timer a helpful addition to more situations than is healthy. And I am a hideous control freak. It’s bad. I’m working on it. Well, sort of…part of me has just given in to this reality that I have a strong, undulating need to control most situations. Like I said…it’s bad.

Such little jewels…cherry tomatoes waiting to be roasted.

As proof of this dreadful quality I input all my receipts into a monthly Excel spreadsheet. Are you shuddering yet? You should be. And yes I know about Mint but am too much of a control freak to trust it. This past weekend as I was closing out August I gasped in horror at my Groceries line item. As you would probably expect I tend to spend more on food than some people do, but August was out of control. Let’s just say if you can feed a starving child in Africa for $1 a day I could have fed a few children for a few years. And this doesn’t even address my “Eating Out” or “Fun” line items. It was time for drastic measures.

And so, with the determined resolution you could only expect from someone like myself, I put a moratorium on all food purchases. Admittedly, I have a very stocked kitchen to begin with (add “obsessive and irrational fear of second potato famine” to the list of faults), but I’m actually now having fun seeing how many gourmet meals I can create with just what’s in my kitchen at the moment.

This quiche was one of my first attempts to take a classic and fake it a bit with ingredient swaps. Craving a rich quiche, but not having any milk or cream I decided to use some yogurt, of which I have loads. The result was nearly as good as if I’d made it with the traditional heavy cream or half and half, and as an added bonus was healthier to boot.

What are your favorite “Use Up Everything In the Refrigerator” recipes?

Roasted Tomato Quiche with Leeks and Gruyère

Slow Roasted Tomato Quiche with Leeks and Gruyere

• 1 pate brisee crust
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (learn about how to support Slave Free tomatoes here)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 TB + drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Grind of Salt and Pepper
• 1 leek, white and light green parts finely chopped
• 1 cup Gruyère, grated (or whatever cheese you like…chevre or cheddar would also be lovely)
• 4 eggs beaten
• 3/4 plain nonfat greek yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 365.
2. Toss the tomatoes, garlic, drizzle of olive oil, and grind of salt and pepper in a cast iron pan, and roast until liquid is melted and flavor is concentrated. About 30 minutes. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, saute the leek in remaining 1 TB olive oil, until softened, about 6 minutes. Set aside.
4. Combine the eggs and yogurt, and vigorously beat to combine, there should be no lumps from the yogurt
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pate brisee until a slightly larger circle than the pie plate. Fold in half for easy transfer, and move over to the pie plate. Unfold, trim the edges so even, fold crust under itself, and flute the edges.
6. Add the leeks, cheese, and tomatoes to the pate brisee. Cover with the egg/yogurt mixture and bake 20 – 25 minutes on the middle rack, until golden brown, egg set, and cheese slightly bubbling.
7. Can be served warm or room temperature.

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Dog Days of (Almost) Summer: Smoked Salmon Quiche with Sauteed Leeks and Chevre

Smoked Salmon Quiche with Sautéed Leeks and Chevre

People often ask me where I get my recipe ideas. Well, they come from all places, and inspiration tends to strike at the oddest times, leaving me foggily trying to remember what brilliant foodie idea I had while standing in the yard at 3a with the new foster puppy silently beseeching her to “do your business” so I can go back to bed.

Yes, there’s a new pup in town and we call her Ella. She arrived from Georgia on Sunday, having been pulled at the 11th hour from being put to sleep. She is as sweet as they come, and we are excited to see the lovely dog that emerges with love. Sadly, she is currently at the 24-hour vet clinic, having taken ill with severe pneumonia. We are keeping all fingers and toes crossed that this special little girl pulls through and can go on to find the loving forever home she so deserves.  (To learn more about the rescue group Georgia Peaches, please visit our Facebook page).

Slowly beginning to trust us and giving in for a little snuggle.

This particular meal idea is good old-fashioned copying. The Columbia City Bakery (which incidentally was just recognized by Bon Appetit as making one of the 10 best baguettes in the country), had the most amazing quiche the other day and I enjoyed every crumb of it. It was a smoked salmon quiche with sautéed leeks and chevre. Their crust is to die for, and there was almost too much goat cheese to seem like it was okay, except that I (not so) secretly loved it.

I’m pleased to say my carbon copy was pretty dang close and was the perfect center piece for a Saturday morning brunch before wine tasting in Woodinville. The perfect addition to any lazy morning, or light summer supper.

Smoked Salmon Quiche with Sautéed Leeks and Chevre

1 Pate Brisee (recipe follows)

4 oz smoked salmon, thinly sliced (you can add more or less pending on your affinity for it)

1 leek, white part only, split in half, thoroughly washed, and thinly sliced

1 TB olive oil

1/2 cup goat cheese (yes, it’s a lot, but it’s worth it)

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup 2% milk

3 large eggs

1 TB chives

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put rack one rung up from the bottom of the oven.
2. In a non-stick skillet on low saute the leeks until nearly all color is gone, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the pate brisee until a slightly larger circle than the pie plate. Fold in half for easy transfer, and move over to the pie plate. Unfold, trim the edges so even, fold crust under itself, and flute the edges.
4. Sprinkle the leek mixture evenly along the bottom of the crust, follow with the goat cheese, and top with the salmon, creating a pinwheel design if you like.
5. In a glass mixing bowl combine the eggs with the cream, milk, and chives and whisk until foamy.
   

   An assortment of garden herbs can be added, pending on preference and what’s in your pots.

6. Pour over top of filling and carefully move to oven.
7. Cook until egg is fully set and crust is golden brown. About 30-35 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Makes beautiful leftovers too.

Pate Brisee (aka buttery pie crust)  – From the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook

1 1/2 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup ice water

1. Using a food processor fitted with a steel blade, (because it makes it so easy, and hey, there is no shame in that) process the flour and salt just to sift and mix.
   

   Making the pate brisee.

2. Add the butter and process with repeated pulses until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
   

   Pulse until the butter and flour mixture resembles a coarse meal.

3. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube and process until the dough leaves the side of the bowl.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a thick circle, and wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using. If chilling overnight, pull out 30 minutes before use to allow to slightly thaw.

Out of This World: Mini Quiches with Brie, Caramelized Onions, and Chile Sausage

Mini Quiches with Brie, Caramelized Onions, and Spicy Sausage ready to go into the oven.

I love eggs. And I also love everything to be neat, tidy, and in its proper place. I believe in kindergarten they called that “structure oriented”. My friends and family now might call it horrifically type-A, neurotic, and obsessive compulsive, but doesn’t “structure oriented” just sound so much better butter? Anyhow, given my longing for order, it will come as no surprise that not only do I like to make baked eggs in muffin tins, but I also find them to be the perfect vessel to make oh-so-delicious, two-bite, mini quiches.

These were a bit of a mistake if I’m being honest. I’d offered to bring appetizers to my Aunt and Uncles for dinner and then just had way too fun a day and forgot to pull anything together. An hour before we were to head over for my cousin Margot’s “Welcome Home from India Party” I realized I’d better get cracking, so looked to see what options the fridge would provide. The result was surprisingly delicious quiches that were beautiful to boot. Puff pastry makes for a snap assembly, and the combination of the stronger flavored brie, with the slightly sweet onions, and the spicy sausage proved magnifique. Incidentally, if you’re looking for a great cookbook that’s all about Puff Pastry I highly recommend checking out Katherine Martinelli’s “Puff Pastry at Brunch“, a wonderful eBook with “10 sweet and savory recipes to start your day.”

Make this when you need to use up whatever is in your fridge and you want a sure-fire crowd pleaser. They also make delicious leftovers for a good on-the-go breakfast the next morning.

Mini Quiches with Brie, Caramelized Onions, and Chile Sausage
Makes 18

I assure you, these went quickly.

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and rolled out slightly on floured surface
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk (cream also works for something richer)
4 hot sausage links, quartered lengthwise and slices into cubes about the size of a pea (I used Hillshire Farms for this)
1 wedge brie (doesn’t have to be fancy), cubed
1 cup caramelized onion
Fresh dill to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a small non-stick skillet saute the sausage until beginning to brown.  Set aside.
3. Grease regular muffin tins (I don’t have mini muffin tins, so just used regular, though either would work)
4. Using a juice glass or something similar, cut circles out of the puff pastry and gently press into tins. Assemble pastry scraps, re-roll, and cut remaining dough into circles and press into tins.
5. Whip up the eggs and the milk.
6. To assemble, evenly divide amongst the 18 cups the brie, caramelized onions, and sausage. Top with the egg mixture. Sprinkle a pinch of fresh dill into each cup.
7. On middle rack bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown and egg fully set.
8. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, pop out of muffin tins, and serve! (Can also make ahead and serve cold or lightly reheated).

Day 5: Quiche Lorraine and Locust Pose

Quiche Lorraine

Forget Eat. Breathe. Love.

Try Eat. SWEAT. Love.

Today I did yoga with my lovely friend Angela, at Bikram Yoga Renton, aka The Hot One. And hot it is. The room is 105 degrees with 40% humidity, and the class is 90 minutes. I’m not sure when the last time I was silent for 90 minutes save sleeping was, and I wouldn’t say I exactly got a gold star today as I did get sternly hushed at our first water break for looking over at Angela and quietly whispering, “This is insane!”

Insane it is…but it also felt great to stretch and strengthen in ways I never have before. The added bonus? Rumor has it each class burns between 600 and 900 calories, which means I felt totally justified in my craving for burgers and beers afterward. I did abstain, since I’m still trying to stick to my booze-free-month, but the Quiche Lorraine I had made this morning was a close runner-up.

You can make this with homemade pie crust, or for a quick fix use puff pastry as I did here. Below recipe is for a traditional quiche but I also did these as mini quiches in muffin tins this weekend and they were just as yummy.

Quiche Lorraine

Great for breakfast, or serve with a simple salad for a light lunch or dinner.
Serves 6

Flaky Pastry Dough or One Sheet Puff Pastry, thawed and rolled out to 12 inches by 12 inches

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup half and half

3/4 cup fat free milk

Generous grating of salt and pepper

Dash of dill

4 slices bacon, cooked and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 oz goat cheese, loosely crumbled

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees, and position one rack in the middle and one closer to the top.
2. Prepare pie dish by lightly greasing with vegetable oil or cooking spray.
3. Lay pie crust across, turn edges in, and gently crimp
4. In a medium mixing bowl add the eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and dill. Mix well until slightly frothy.
5. Sprinkle the goat cheese evenly across the bottom of the pie dish.
   
6. Follow with the bacon.
7. Pour the egg mixture over the bacon and cheese.
8. Add quiche to oven’s middle rack and cook for 25 minutes.
9. After 25 minutes move to upper rack, increase heat to 400 degrees, and cook another 10-15 minutes or until filling is nicely browned and set.
10. Allow to stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.