Definitely a light bite! Leek, Bacon and Cheese Crustless Quiche

 

 

Much as I (unfortunately) like pastry, it doesn't like me. In fact I am not sure it likes anybody to be honest, but I always saw it as a necessary evil to encase something really rather nice. Until now, that is. It was when I caught myself staring at a colleague who is far more restrained than me when it comes to eating healthier eating something resembling the custardy centre of a quiche that I thought that maybe making a quiche without the tart would be completely feasible. And so it is, and below is the proof.

 

Now I know that my colleague's 'quiche' is made using cottage cheese which is quite simply the work of the devil, not really my bag. I see myself as settling for half and I like it better, so if I am losing the pastry, I am keeping the cream. I just ensure that the cream is packed with lots of lovely things so that the custardy filling goes a lot, lot further. A mooch around Morrisons, (or indeed a mooch around the price checker) revealed the staple ingredients for this recipe: cream, bacon, cheddar and leeks that were either 'I'm cheaper' or very reasonably priced, so I am working on the idea that this is not only good for me, but good for my purse too. Coupled with the fact that I served this with a vibrant salad, also bought from Market Street at Morrisons, meant that this is really a light bite, good enough to be presented to friends and family for an alfresco summer lunch, or else cut into wedges and put into a lunch box with some of the aforementioned salad and taken to work, ready to be eaten at lunch time. And what's more, Finn - the fussiest of eaters - enjoyed it immensely. Though he did leave the salad...

 

I know that what I am proposing isn't ground breaking - I know that if I googled for long enough I would find someone had done this already and called it an omelette or something, but what I will say is that it is a great way of using staple ingredients which don't break the bank. And it's impressive but simple. And it goes well with a cold glass of wine, so what are you waiting for?

 

Leek, Bacon and Cheddar Crustless Quiche

 

Ingredients:

 

two leeks, washed and finely sliced

150g bacon sliced (or you could use lardons)

three eggs

300ml double cream

50g grated cheddar (or to taste)

chopped parsley (optional - I like my quiches flecked with green)

salt and pepper to taste.

 

Method:

 

Preheat the oven to 180c. Grease and line an 8/9 inch spring form pan or suitable baking pan.

 

 

 

Fry off the bacon and the leeks until the bacon has rendered its fat and becoming crisp and the leeks are becoming translucent.

 

Pour the mixture into a bowl.

 

 

 

Add the cream and whisk in the three eggs, then grate in the cheese.

 

Season to taste. Start off carefully for the bacon might be salty.

 

Add the herbs if using and mix well.

 

 

 

Pour into the pan and shake to ensure even coverage of custard and mixture.

 

 

 

Put into the preheated oven and cook for about 25 - 30 minutes until the custard has set and the top is becoming brown.

 

Remove from the oven and allow the quiche to cool a little before running a knife around the sides of the pan and removing it.

 

Serve barely warm or at room temperature with some salad and a sense of virtuous well being.

 

 

This post is an entry for the #MorrisonsMum (or #MorrisonsDad) Summer Recipe eBook Challenge sponsored by Morrisons, which has recently cut prices on over a thousand every day products. Find out more here price checker tool. I am submitting this recipe for the light summer family meals category.

Thinking about French Leave: Alsatian Leek and Onion Tart, or 'Tarte Alsacienne'

 

 

In a couple of months I'll be off to France again for a some sun, good wine, good food and returning home with a motorhome full of French goodies and I'll be honest I am already in the mood for it. Although, it has to be said that the first part of our holiday is in south west France and I am a bit concerned that the weather is at least as bad if not worse as than it is here just now. Anyway, there is a bit of time for that problem to sort itself out and in the meantime I am going to be getting myself in the mood with the odd foray into French cuisine which if it's any good will no doubt reveal itself in some guise on this blog.

 

Being that I am on one hand quite predictable and on the other hand just a bit random I thought I would pick 'quiche' (how 'cliche') from the complete opposite area from where I am visiting, from Alsace in north east France. This recipe is based on the one from my 'Best Ever French Cooking Course' cookbook with the odd tweak, mainly turning this recipe from 'tartlette' to 'tarte' as I am not one for little quichy things. The whole tartlet thing strikes as too much pastry and not enough filling. Anyway, I'm rambling; here's the recipe:

 

Alsatian Leek and Onion Tart, or 'Tarte Alsacienne' adapted from 'The Best Ever French Cooking Course'.

 

Makes a 9 inch tart approx

 

For the pastry:

 

6oz plain flour

3oz cold butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp salt

2 - 3 tbsp cold water to bind

 

(or buy some shortcrust pastry - you'll need about half a block)

 

For the filling:

 

1oz butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1lb leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced

2oz Gruyere cheese

3 eggs

1/2 pint double cream

salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

 

Make the pastry by blitzing or rubbing together the flour and the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the salt and then the egg yolk. Use the cold water to bind the mixture, adding the water sparingly.  Roll into a bowl and put in the fridge for half an hour to rest.

 

Or, use ready made shortcrust pastry.

 

 

 

When rested, use the pastry to line a prepared loose bottomed tart tin (my rectangular is 13 x 4 inch) and the same kind of quantity fills about a 9 inch round pan, ish)

 

Prick the base and return to the fridge to rest once more (for about 20 minutes).

 

Preheat the oven to 190c/375f  and put a baking tray into the oven to heat up.

 

 

 

Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper/foil and baking beans.

 

Put the pastry case in the oven and cook for about 8 minutes or until the edges of the pastry look golden. Take the baking beans out and return to the oven for another 2 or 3 minutes to dry out the base of the tart. Transfer to a rack to cool and reduce the oven temperature to 180c/350f. and begin to make the filling.

 

 

 

In a large frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat and then add the onion and the thyme and cook for about 3 - 5 minutes until the onion is just softened but not coloured.

 

 

 

Add the leeks and cook for 10 - 12 minutes until they are soft and tender.

 

Once softened, place the onion/leek mixture into the base of the tart.

 

 

 

Sprinkle the cheese over the onions and leeks and put the case onto the baking tray so you can transfer the full case into the oven easily once the cream and eggs are added.

 

 

 

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, the cream and the salt and pepper (to taste). Pour the mixture over the onions, leeks and cheese. Don't overfill.

 

 

 

Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes until set and golden.

 

Transfer the tart onto a wire rack to cool slightly. When cooled, remove the tart from the tin.

 

 

 

Serve warm, or at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleasing assonance and an eggstremely good dish - Sweet Pepper and Feta Quiche

 

 

Wow, back after a bit of a blogging break (riddled with some dreadful lurgy - I'll spare you the details) and regular readers of these ramblings will know I like a bit of a bargain and dislike faff. So, whilst dragging my 'pseudo flu' ridden body around the supermarket recently I cruised slowly past the chuck outs (timing being everything - you've gotta leave it reasonably late in the day to that tipping time where they price it down further to get rid whatever dishevelled offerings they have left) I spied two large pots of sweet roasted peppers and feta from the deli lurking on the shelf. 30p each. Bang bang, in the trolley they went.

 

I love quiche. And tarts. And flans. And I got to thinking that the combination of sweet heat and salt from the peppers and feta enveloped in an unctuous eggy creamy custard might be the way to go. And whilst you could make your own pastry (as it happens, on this occasion I did) I am not averse to opening a cardboard package of ready rolled and slamming it into a loose bottomed flan tin, because, let's face it, sometimes life is too short. 10 minutes blind baking whilst you are sorting out the quiche filling and then it's in the oven. 25 minutes or so, job done. Dinner's on the table.

 

I added a little more Feta to the peppers that I bought, because we're Feta fiends here. It's important to taste the quiche mixture before you put it in the pie case because despite the Feta, sometimes a little more seasoning is needed. I left the peppers and Feta in strips and lumps, because I thought the finished look would be quite pleasing, something akin to abstract impressionism, but I think there is an argument for crumbling the feta and dicing the peppers, particularly if you want to entice the more 'discerning' of children into eating it. And even though I used deli peppers, there are reasonably priced jarred roasted peppers which would work just as well. I think you could also add some herbs, maybe some finely chopped oregano or thyme for an extra hint of something fragrant.

 

Sweet Pepper and Feta Quiche

 

Serves Mum, Dad, Lola and Finn

 

Ingredients:

 

Pack of shortcrust pastry (you will have some over for another quiche. Brilliant!) or look at the recipe I use below.

8oz deli roasted peppers

6oz Feta cheese

3 large eggs (or 4 medium)

10fl oz double cream

salt and pepper to taste.

 

Method:

 

If you are using ready made pastry or you've made your pastry and you are ready to go, preheat the oven to 180c and put a baking sheet into the oven.

 

  

Prepare the pastry either by making the recipe below (which is enough for two recipes - freeze what you don't need) or by rolling out some ready made shortcrust pastry and pressing it into a prepared loose bottomed flan tin. (I used my 13" x 4" rectangular flan tin, which seems to be a very similar size to my 8" round flan tin) Fork the bottom of the pastry case to prevent it from rising too much whilst it blind bakes.

 

Try not to stretch the pastry or else it will shrink whilst it cooks.

 

 

 

Blind bake the pastry for about 10/15 minutes by putting a sheet of greaseproof paper over the pastry and filling the case with baking beans/rice/beans. Distribute the beans evenly across the base and bake on the preheated baking sheet for 15 minutes, removing the baking beans for the last five minutes to try to dry out the bottom.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, make the filling. Place your roasted peppers and feta in a bowl, either leave them chunky or chop up.

 

 

 

Add the cream and the eggs and stir thoroughly to combine. Taste the custard. It will need seasoning but be judicious, particularly with the salt as the Feta will add some saltiness to the finished dish, especially if you chop the Feta quite small.

 

 

 

Remove the par baked pastry case from the oven and pour the filling into it, evenly distribute the peppers and Feta throughout the custard and shake the tin a little to settle the mixture. Don't overfill. You shouldn't, in any case, have much left over, but if you do you could always pour some mixture into ramekins and bake it. Next morning's breakfast/lunch right there!) Place back onto the preheated baking tray and bake in the oven for about another 25 - 30 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is golden.

 

 

Allow to cool for about 5 or 10 minutes before cutting and serving for a raging hot quiche never tasted of anything and just burns the roof of your mouth.

 

 

 

What could you have this with? Well, I'll be honest, a chilled glass of white wine over looking the Med is what I am thinking but maybe a little salad, some new potatoes, tin of beans (seriously - I love quiche and beans).

 

Shortcrust Pastry:

 

Makes two 8 inch tart bases

 

Ingredients:

 

20z butter

2 oz vegetable shortening

8oz flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 - 4 tablespoons of cold water, to bind.

tsp dried herbs (only for savoury fillings and very optional)

 

Method:

 

 

 

Rub together or blitz the flour and the fats so the mixture resembles bread crumbs and add the salt and herbs if using.

 

Bind the mixture with a tablespoon of water at a time.

 

 

 

When the mixture is bound, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow it to rest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am submitting this recipe to #eggmainsinminutes. Let's face it; eggs are the ultimate fast food! And if you visit here, you will find many more fantastic egg recipes. Enjoy!

 

Not a tart - A Jamie inspired cheese and bacon quiche

It should be said here and now that I don't know the difference between quiche and a tart, and I don't care massively, though you could throw in the word 'flan' and be even more befuddled should you really be interested. What I do know however is that I really like quiche (and tarts and flans for that matter) and actually so do Lola and Finn and if you can get a pastry that behaves (this one does) then this is a really easy way of creating something which is at once both satisfying and light, summery when paired with some salad and then transformed into something stodgy and Autumnal if you serve it warm with baked beans, which is Lola and Finn's chosen way of eating quiche. You may think that is so, so wrong, but Lola and Finn don't want to be right.

I decided on whipping up a quiche after a visit to the supermarket in the evening; (best time to go if you're after a bargain) and spying a cooked bacon joint being heavily reduced in price to literally a few coppers. Everything must go! I snaffled it up a nanosecond after the assistant had shot it with the reduced price gun and somehow got it home without breaking into it and tearing a strip of sticky fat and salty meat off the bone. I just love bacon!

As I had eggs to use, some wonderfully golden yolked affairs that had been brought back from France, I decided that a quiche was the way to go. preferably with the bite of some mature cheese and a delightfully short pastry which crumbled pleasingly as you pressed the tines of your fork into it. Deep joy.

I have no loyalty when it comes to quiche recipes, and indeed have been known to haphazardly hurl together alsorts of random and leftover ingredients into a pastry case, however, here is a Jamie Oliver inspired affair and it is very good indeed.

My tweaks to the original recipe. My bacon was cooked, therefore I did not need to go through the saute process with the onion. Also, I used spring onion because I really couldn't be doing with faffing with a pan for cooking a few bits of a cooking onion.

The original recipe calls for 4 large eggs; I used 5 medium eggs and it seemed to work just fine.

My fluted dish is approximately 9 1/2 inches across. The pastry covered this with a little left over. The quantity of filling came about two thirds of the way up the pastry case. I hate having quiche mixture leftover.

So, whether your accompaniment of choice is a salad or a tin of beans, this quiche is pretty nice.

Cheese and Bacon Quiche, adapted from Jamie Oliver's recipe (from his website - jamieoliver.com)

Ingredients:

Pastry:
220g plain flour
120g cold butter
1/2 tsp salt
about 3 tbsp of ice cold water

Filling:

4 large eggs (I used 5 medium eggs)

150ml double cream

100g mature cheddar cheese, finely grated

200g bacon, cut into small strips (Note: my bacon was cooked. I also used a little more than 200g because I wanted a firmer quiche. Lola and Finn prefer it that way)

1 small onion, chopped (I used 4 spring onions, white and green parts chopped)

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to season

Method:

Pastry:

Place the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes then add to the flour. Rub the flour and butter between your fingers till the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Or, if you're me, put it in a food processor and process the ingredients and then carefully add a trickle of water through the feed tube and process until the pastry comes together in a bowl. Add the water, continue mixing, then knead gently into a ball. Place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

Grease a quiche/flan dish (approx 24cm -  mine was 9 1/2inches - see above) and preheat oven to 180C.

Roll out the pastry and lay in the quiche dish . Trim the edges. The pastry can be patched into the dish if needs be. It is quite forgiving.

Cover the pastry base with some greaseproof paper and then fill with dried beans, peas, rice or baking beans (couldn't find mine!)

.

Pre-bake the pastry case for about 12-15 minutes, then remove from the oven (remove the paper and beans).

Prepare the filling by frying your bacon and onion if it is raw. I used cooked bacon and spring onions and did not need this step.

Place the fried bacon and onion into the quiche crust and spread out evenly.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, cheese and chopped parsley. Season with a little salt and pepper. though be aware of the potential saltiness of your bacon.

Pour into the quiche dish then place in the oven and bake for approx 30-40 minutes.

Allow to cool before serving. A raging hot quiche is dangerous and verging on impossible to eat and tastes of nothing. Serve warm or at room temperature.