Spring Leek Quiche with Chevre
This classic quiche features tender leeks, fresh chives and rich chevre cheese.
Ingredients:
1 single butter pie crust, thawed if frozen (see recipe)
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, and sliced
3 eggs
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 ounces soft chevre cheese, crumbled
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Prick pie crust all over with a fork; place on a baking sheet. Bake the pie crust in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove crust and set aside to cool slightly; reduce oven temperature to 375°.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and simmer leeks just until tender, about 7 minutes; drain thoroughly.
3. Whisk eggs, heavy cream, milk, chives, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Spread leeks evenly over bottom of pie crust; dot with the chevre cheese. Pour egg mixture over leeks. Bake in the preheated oven until puffed, lightly browned, and a sharp knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove to cool until warm or room temperature before serving.
Butter Pie Dough
This simple, extraordinary all-purpose pie dough recipe from the minds at Metropolitan Market and Cairnspring Mills can be used in both your sweet and savory baking.
Ingredients:
2½ cups Cairnspring Mills Edison all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
14 tablespoons cold butter (salted or unsalted), cut into tablespoon-size pieces
½ cup ice water, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more, as needed
Method:
1. In a large chilled bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Sprinkle butter over the flour. With a pastry blender, or your clean, cold hands, mix the butter into the flour mixture until the ingredients look like cracker crumbs with lumps the size of peas.
2. Sprinkle ½ cup ice water over the dough, and stir it in with a fork. Squeeze a handful of dough with your hand; it should keep together and feel moist. Add additional ice water as needed until dough holds together and you can gather it up to form a ball.
3. Place the ball on a lightly floured work surface and cut into two equal pieces. Form each into a chubby disk, and wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
4. To roll out the dough, remove from the fridge and place on a lightly floured work surface. Let the dough rest at room temperature for a few minutes, until soft and easy to roll. Dust the top of the dough with flour to prevent sticking, and roll the dough from the center in all directions, into a circle about 2 inches larger than your pie pan or tin. Carefully drape the dough over the rolling pin and gently fit it into the pan. (For a double crust pie, roll out the second disk of dough.) Follow your pie, tart or quiche recipe from there!
Weekend Breakfast
Put on the coffee pot, pull out a skillet and wake up to this week’s menu of farmhouse favorites: With all-natural breakfast sausages and a dozen farm-fresh eggs to incorporate into your choice of scramble, frittata or quiche (see recipes!), plus our own signature coffee blend, beautiful summer berry preserves and seasonal produce including mushrooms, Winterbore kale and Turk’s Turban squash, it has everything you need to whip up an energizing brunch to start your day. Good morning!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Kale Frittata
This easy frittata is baked in a skillet with fresh kale, fragrant garlic and Grana-style cheese.
Roasted Squash & Spinach Quiche
Dotted with balsamic vinegar caramelized onions, roasted squash and fresh spinach, this quiche is incredibly delicious, yet healthful.
Vegetable Scramble with Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms and tender root vegetables elevate farmstead eggs in this stunning scramble.
Baked Cinnamon-Raisin French Toast
This homey recipe from The Pioneer Woman can easily be done the day ahead and chilled until ready to bake.
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Easy to prepare ahead, these fragrant potatoes are excellent served at room temperature.
Roasted Squash & Spinach Quiche
Dotted with balsamic vinegar caramelized onions, roasted squash and fresh spinach, this quiche is incredibly delicious, yet healthful.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, or 3 Cipollini onions, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1½ cups Turk’s Turban squash (or other winter squash of your choice), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup whole milk
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup packed spinach leaves
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 pre-prepared pie crust
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Roll the prepared crust into a 12-inch circle (to fit a 9-inch pie pan). Prick it all over with a fork. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
2. To make the filling: Quarter the onion, and slice thinly. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and deep golden brown. (This will take about 20 minutes). Right before the onion finishes cooking, add balsamic vinegar to the pan and cook for a few more minutes. While the onion is caramelizing, spread the cubed squash on a baking sheet and toss it with the remaining olive oil, along with dashes of salt and pepper. Roast the squash until it starts to brown and soften, about 20 minutes as well. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the rosemary, thyme, cheese, salt, and pepper to the eggs. Place the caramelized onions, roasted squash, and baby spinach in the pie pan. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.
3. While the onion is caramelizing, spread the cubed squash on a baking sheet and toss it with the remaining olive oil, along with dashes of salt and pepper. Roast the squash until it starts to brown and soften, about 20 minutes as well.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the caramelized onions, roasted squash, grated cheese, and baby spinach. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
5. Bake the quiche for about 40 to 45 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the center should feel just set. Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool on a rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
