Quiche

Veggies are sparse at the market right now, that weird in between season where the winter crops are running low and you’re getting sick of squash and carrots. The result of last week’s Saturday market trip was a ridiculous amount of eggs, meat, fish, mushrooms and onions. I initially found meat intimidating to purchase at the market, it’s in freezers and you have to speak to the farmers to get what you want. Silly I know, I’m over my shyness now and find it enjoyable to know who your meat and fish comes from, that is the point of a farmers market! It also encourages you to learn more about your food, try different cuts and recipes.

So what to make with so many eggs and so few ingredients? Oh yes, it’s quiche time! If you’re going to take the time to make something from scratch, why on earth would you start with store bought crust? I have never understood the fear or dough, it is so easy people! I use Julia Child’s Pâte Brisée recipe for anything that requires a crust; quiche, pie, tarts. It also freezes well if you want to make extra for next time. If it all goes to hell for unexplained reasons (it happens), just mush the dough into the pan with your hands, might not be pretty but it’ll be delicious.

• Pâte brisée* (adapted from Julie Child’s Mastering the art of French cooking)
• 2/3 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup chilled butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3-4 tbl cold water
• 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

Cube the butter into 1/2" pieces. Mix flour, salt and butter together. Rub/pinch the flour and butter between your finger tips until the you have broken it down into little floury butter balls (oatmeal sized).

Add the water and making your hand like a scoop (fingers together) blend everything quickly with your hand, you should be able to make a firm but rough dough ball in about 20 seconds.

If the mixture is too sticky add some more flour until your dough ball is pliable but not damp or sticky.

Take the dough onto a floured counter and with the heel of your palm press down on the dough ball, squish off an inch of dough and quickly smear it about 6 inches away from you. This is the final blending of the fat and flour (called frisage). Once you have done this to the whole ball of dough, take a spatula and scrape all the dough back into a ball. Give it a quick knead and make it into a firm ball, wrap in plastic or parchment paper. Stick it in the freezer for an hour or the fridge over night. I recommend Julia Childs book, it has some little illustrations that are surprisingly helpful.

I know this sounds complicated but once you do it a couple of times the whole process takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish. And you don’t have any machines to clean up… just the flour all over your clothes and in your hair (maybe that’s just me).

Now for the Quiche, try any combination you want, but here is what I did.
Portobello Bacon Onion Quiche

• 1 large portobello mushroom, chopped
• 4 strips of cooked bacon
• half a red onion, big chunks
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup cream
• salt and pepper to your liking

Roll out dough and place in quiche dish (casserole dish, pie tin, whatever you have, it doesn’t matter).

p(instruction).Prick bottom of pie shell with a fork. Partially cook at 400F for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Cook bacon to your liking, put aside. Pan fry portobello in some olive oil and butter, add onions and cook until soft. Beat eggs and cream with a fork. Arrange onion, bacon and mushroom in the half cooked pie shell.

Gently pour egg mixture on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook at 375F for 30 minutes or until egg mixture has set.

For this recipe I used

• Natural bacon from Glenderman Farms
• Organic Eggs from Rockweld Farm
• Organic red onion from Klippers Organic