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Published: March 18, 2008 10:18 pm
Quiche
Don’t wait for a special occasion, enjoy this versatile dish any time
Tina and Leonard Bailey
Cooking With You
Quiche is a popular dish that is easy to prepare. Although the name would have you think it is of French origin, quiche is actually a German creation. The word “quiche,” is derived from the German word “kuchen,” which means cake.
The recipe for quiche dates back to the medieval era. Originally, quiche was a food eaten by the poor and consisted of a simple crust filled with eggs, cream and meat scraps. Later, when quiche became popular in France, cheese was added to the recipe.
Today, there are many types of quiche. Quiche can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It can be a main entrée, side dish or snack. It is truly a versatile dish.
Although quiche is classified as a savory pie, its adaptability makes it more like a casserole. You can add just about anything to quiche. You can make a meatless quiche out of vegetables or a seafood quiche with any type of fish or shellfish. Baking quiche is also a wonderful way to make use of leftovers.
Quiche Lorraine is perhaps the most well known quiche recipe. It contains eggs, cream, bacon, onions and cheese. Most quiches are variations of this basic recipe. For instance, the addition of chopped spinach to this recipe would make Quiche Florentine.
Although quiche originated as a pauper’s dish, in modern times it has been linked to the upper crust of society. This connection labeled quiche as arrogant, snobbish delight. Unfortunately this silly misconception has stuck in the minds of many. Quiche used to be a peasant food enjoyed by the masses. Now, it is considered a posh dish consumed by the high and mighty.
In 1982, author Bruce Feirstein released a satirical book entitled, “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche.” It was on the New York Times Best Seller List for over a year. In his writings, Feirstein stated that quiche-eating men somehow lacked masculinity, placing a stigma on the culinary delight.
Despite the backlash from Feirstein’s writings, quiche remains a principal player in Western cuisine. Quiche is a wonderful focal point for any meal. For breakfast, it can be served with some fresh, sliced fruit. At lunch or dinner time, quiche goes especially well with a crisp, tossed salad.
Quiche Florentine
1 deep dish frozen pie shell
1 package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
4-6 slices bacon cooked crisp
1/4 cup of minced onion
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Beat eggs. Add half-and-half and blend well. Add minced onion and salt and pepper to egg/milk mixture. Sprinkle one half of the Swiss cheese along the bottom of the pie shell. Crumble bacon on top of the cheese. Next, put the spinach into the pie shell. Pour egg mixture into the shell, covering ingredients. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, or until set. Allow quiche to sit at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Ham and Cheese Quiche
One 9-inch pie shell
1 cup of diced ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon minced onion (dried)
1 can evaporated whole milk
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of nutmeg
Beat eggs. Add entire can of evaporated milk to eggs and mix well. Add minced onion and seasonings to egg/milk mixture. Sprinkle one half of the cheese along the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange ham in pie shell on top of cheese. Next, pour egg mixture over ham. Follow with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until set. Allow quiche to sit at least 10 minutes before serving.
Salmon Quiche
One 9-inch pie shell
1/2 pound cooked salmon, flaked
2 chopped green onion
3 eggs
1 cup of cream
1 cup shredded white cheese
(Swiss and cheddar work well)
1 tablespoon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of paprika
Beat eggs. Add cream, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika to eggs. Spread half of the cheese on the bottom of the pie shell. Next, layer the flaked salmon and green onions in the pie shell. Pour egg mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until pie is set. Cool at least 10 minutes prior to cutting.
Sources:
- http://en.wikibooks.org/ wiki/Cookbook:Quiche
- http://www.foodreference .com/html/artquiche.html
- http://www.eclecticcooking .com/Quiche.htm
— Chef Leonard Bailey is director of the National Institute of Culinary Arts at MSU.
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