Real Men Don’t Eat
Quiche was a popular humor book in the 1980s, but the sentiment is all
wrong. You can make a quiche as rich and “manly” as you’d like, or as light and
delicate. You can fill a thin whole-wheat crust with vegetables, herbs and milk
or a thick, buttery crust with meat, cheese and cream. In fact, Marie Simmons,
author of The Good Egg, calls classic
quiche Lorraine “the finest form that bacon-and-eggs can assume.” Here’s a version of quiche fit for a hearty appetite.
Ingredients:
1 pound bacon
1 large leek, white
and pale green parts, chopped
6 whole eggs, lightly
beaten
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1 cup crème fraiche (or use another cup of milk or cream)
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 to 6 ounces blue cheese (Try Rogue Creamery’s “Caveman Blue” if you can find it.)
Salt and freshly
ground black pepper, to taste
1 pre-baked buttery
crust, such as our Perfect, Buttery and Flaky Pie Crust
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the bacon until cooked but
not too crispy, drain and pat dry. Saute leeks in a tablespoon of the bacon
grease over medium heat until soft. Beat the eggs, then whisk in the cream, milk and crème fraiche. Season
with salt and plenty of pepper. Stir in the cheeses and pre-cooked ingredients. Pour the
filling into the crust. Bake in the center of the oven until the top of the
quiche is golden and slightly firm, with a smidge of jiggle still in the
middle. This may take anywhere from 40 minutes to just over an hour. Resist the
urge to crank the heat. Custards are tenderest when heated gently. Let the
quiche cool slightly before serving. Leftover quiche is excellent cold or
reheated. Serves 6 to 8.
See Also:
Check out our June/July issue for plenty more egg recipes, including the Crustless Roasted Tomato Quiche pictured above (right).
Photo by Tim Nauman Photography
