The Occasion: Brunch, this dish is perfect for brunch. Easter brunch. Mother’s Day brunch. Sunday brunch. Tuesday brunch. Lunch. Dinner, even. I guess breakfast, why not, but I never.
I always think of quiche as being simultaneously fancy – why? just look at it, so lovely – and simple. It’s really just comfort food, eggs and cheese with a few veggies thrown in for color and flavor. And bonus: easy as pie. (Yes I did.) It looks harder than it is. Especially if you use a store-bought crust as I did.
I always think of quiche as being simultaneously fancy – why? just look at it, so lovely – and simple. It’s really just comfort food, eggs and cheese with a few veggies thrown in for color and flavor. And bonus: easy as pie. (Yes I did.) It looks harder than it is. Especially if you use a store-bought crust as I did.
As long as we’re talking brunch, let’s do it with a cocktail in our hand. (Gotta love a meal that encourages day drinking.) Mimosas and Bellinis are traditional brunch beverages, and of course there is the ubiquitous Bloody Mary. You can do so many fun variations – different juices, garnishes, and other add-ins.
Ilise made a fantastic champagne cocktail called the Gin and Honey. The name clues you in on half of the main ingredients; fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and, of course, the bubbly round out the recipe. Cheers!
Ilise made a fantastic champagne cocktail called the Gin and Honey. The name clues you in on half of the main ingredients; fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and, of course, the bubbly round out the recipe. Cheers!
Keep reading for the rest of the egg-cellent story, photos, and the recipes.
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Many quiches are over-the-top with umpteen eggs, heavy cream, and a buttery crust. The richness is part of the appeal. But this recipe has only 4 eggs and uses half-and-half, which I consider to be a good compromise, and still tastes decadent. If you want to go all fat-free or use egg substitute maybe you should make some other dish instead.
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A simple salad of lightly dressed greens is quiche’s traditional go-with for good reason. The fresh, bitter-in-a-good-way greens nicely offset the richness of the tart. This recipe from Cooking Light calls for arugula and baby spinach, but what I had on hand was baby romaine. It worked out just fine thanks to the tasty dressing described as “ranch meets Caesar” – it works!
Click the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Click the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
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| Printable Recipe- Asparagus, Leek and Gruyere Quiche |
Asparagus, Leek and Gruyere Quiche
Recipe source: Martha Stewart
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Recipe source: Martha Stewart
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 leek (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced, then well washed
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, tough ends removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups half-and-half
- Ground nutmeg
- One pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate, well chilled (Either homemade or purchased frozen is fine)
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek and asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until asparagus is crisp tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, ½ teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Place pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese; top with asparagus mixture. Pour egg mixture on top.
- Bake until center of quiche is just set, 50 to 60 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Note: Mine took longer – about 70 minutes overall.
- Let stand 15 minutes or more before serving.
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Do you have a favorite brunch dish?
Share the details in the Comments. |
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