Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Rosie Wants Quiche.


Rosie's Asparagus Quiche
1 pie crust, partially baked
1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg, finely grated
1 cup chopped asparagus
1/2 cup diced ham
1 cup diced Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 400°.

As for the pie crust, if I don't have time to make the dough, I use the refrigerated rolled-up 9" pie doughs.
They come two to a box.  Much superior to the frozen doughs in aluminum pans.  The roll-ups are larger and freeze well, whereas I've been known to throw out a bunch of aluminum pie pans with shattered shards of frozen pie parts.

Partially bake the pie crust.  Place a piece of foil on top of the dough and pour in beans or rice as a weight.  I keep a jar of beans in my cabinet for this very purpose.  Bake, weighted with beans, about 10 minutes.  Remove foil and beans and prick the dough with a fork.  Bake about 10 more minutes, until lightly browned.

Measure the milk and cream into a small saucepan.  Scald and let cool a bit.

Whisk the eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Beat the milk and cream mixture into the eggs, gradually.

Scatter the ham, Swiss cheese, and asparagus in the bottom of the pie.  Pour egg mixture over top.
In my case, I gave myself more cheese and Mr. Hawthorne got more asparagus.  

Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over my half!

Bake at 400° for 45 - 55 minutes or until just set.

Let quiche sit for at least 20 minutes before slicing.  The texture becomes even better as it sits, when it's refrigerated.  I'll be enjoying this for breakfast tomorrow.

Oh, yes.

Here's a tip about those pesky pie crusts.
Carefully stretch the dough from the center out,
rotating the pie.
You want the dough up over the edge
of the pie rim.

When you pre-bake the pie dough
and if you haven't stretched the dough far enough over the edge.
the dough will shrink down the sides.
 When you pour in the liquid mixture
it will run down the back of the dough and get underneath.
Soggy Pie!
 Bad Pie!

Don't do this.

Use aluminum foil and beans to weigh the dough down.

Just-picked asparagus from my garden.

What?
Excuse me?
Did I say just-picked asparagus?
Yes, I did.

And silly you.
You thought asparagus was just a spring crop.

Well, not in Rosie's Garden.

I have two asparagus plants in the garden.
I don't have an asparagus bed, although I used to.
I have only the two plants.
I did not plant them.
Perhaps a little bird did.
But I welcome them.
One is about 20 years old and I discovered a little trick
that I do with this one plant.
In September, I cut the spidery, feathery foliage
down to the ground.
Within a few weeks,
the asparagus plant, thinking it's Spring,
rewards me with glorious stalks.
I pick and choose which stalks I harvest
and let the others go into full foliage.
That's another advantage of the climate I enjoy.
There's still time for this asparagus plant
to branch out in foliage and in roots
and strengthen itself for the spring harvest.



I have fresh asparagus, diced ham, and diced Swiss cheese.
Maybe 8 spears.
And a handful each of diced ham and Swiss.

Grated cheddar cheese.

Three large eggs, with 1/2 tsp sea salt, 
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper,
and a good dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.


   I whupped the eggs first,
then gradually beat the cream/milk mixture into the eggs.

Here's my partially baked crust.

See the importance of stretching the dough to get over the edge?
Upper right side has shrunk down.

Place diced ham, Swiss cheese, and asparagus spears
in bottom of pre-baked pie.

I put more Swiss cheese on my half,
since Mr. Hawthorne is stillonadietblahblahblah.

Pour the custard mixture in.

Grated cheddar on my half
and decorate with asparagus tips.

After 45 minutes.
This is beautiful.

Let it rest.
Please do not assault this with a fork and knife.
Let it sit.
Let it cool.
At least twenty minutes, before cutting.

I scissored some fresh basil, scallions, and tarragon
from my plants on the deck
over my little slice.

It pays to grow herbs near your kitchen
where they're easily accessible.
That way you're more apt to use them.


I'm just admiring the quiche.
 Quiche for breakfast.


Texture is perfect now.


2 comments:

Rocquie said...

Long time fan of quiche here. Yours looks scrumptious. I made one last night too--mine was cauliflower and bacon.
Cheers,
Rocquie

Rosie Hawthorne said...

I'm a fan of the quiche too, Sage. So many different combinations! I like it best the second day. The texture only improves.