Leek Quiche: Gardening, Recipe, How to use Vegetables.

Last night I made two quiches and a wonderful Beet and Citus Salad. The surprise came from our quiches. I make a crab quiche, it is the one pictured in the green quiche pan; normally it is the star of the dinner-show. However, last night, this Leek Quiche outshined (Forteen dollars worth of crab in the crab quiche) and was the favorite dish by far. By the way, the leeks cost $2.99 a pound, and the recipe calls for a half a pound... You do the math!

Ingredients:
Crust:

1 Tbl butter

3 Tbls canola oil

1 C flour

¼ tea salt

Leeks are the star in this dish. Do not let their humble appearance fool you, they are packed with flavor!

Filling:

2 tea olive oil

½ lb (about 2 packed C’s) thinly sliced leeks, wht and light green part only, washed thoroughly because they are sandy and dirty in the light green part. I let the water wash into the leaves upright until I do not see brown. Then I thinly slice them and wash the cut up pieces in a colander. Otherwise your food will taste like dirt. They are so worth the effort in taste!These green babies pack an awesome tasting low-fat quiche! These vegetables are in the onion and garlic family of plants, so if you have not tried them, and you love onions or garlic, you're in for a treat!

2 lg eggs

4 lg egg whites (discard yolks) or use in a Hollandaise sauce or something.

¾ C evaporated milk

¾ C skim or low-fat milk

¼ tea sea salt

¼ tea freshly ground blk pepper

¼ tea freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne

1 tea Dijon mustard

1 Tbl fine dry breadcrumbs

4 oz (1 C) grated Gruyere cheese

¼ C freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Disclaimer: the photo came from Obesity AID.Org.

Directions to make a very delish crust with half the fat of a regular crust: (Or skip step; crust steps 1-4, and go right to step 5, using a refrigerated rolled pie crust found in the dairy section of your grocery store.)

1.   Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in lower third of oven. Use cooking spray like Pam Olive oil to spray your glass or pottery quiche or pie dish. I do not like metal pans for this; however if you use one, use care to not burn the crust at the bottom of the pan.

2.   In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Swirling the pan, cook butter for about 30 seconds, until it is a light nutty brown. Be careful to not burn your butter. This browning will bring the flavor out of the butter. Pour into a small bowl and let it cool. Add the canola oil.

3.   In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Using a fork, slowly stir the butter-oil mixture into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. Gradually stir in enough ice water (about 1-2 Tbls) for the dough to hold together. Gather the dough into a ball.

4.  Place dough between two sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a round disk. Roll into a 12 inch circle. Remove the top of plastic sheet and roll it onto your rolling pin without the plastic wrap. Place on your quiche or pie pan, centering it. If your dough is large enough for a rim, fold edges under and crimp. If your pan is large and your dough just comes up halfway on the side of your pan, just mold it to your quiche dish (I use large quiche pans, so this is what I do).

5.  Line dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper large enough to lift our easily; fill evenly with dried beans (Or pie weights if you have them). This will prevent your crust from coming off the pan and forming a tent, instead of the pie shell you desire. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove paper and beans and bake for 3 to 5 minutes longer, until lightly browned. You do not want the crust to be fully baked. Cool crust.

Directions for the Filling:

1.   Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

2.   Meanwhile in a skillet, heat olive oil over low heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 min's, or until leeks are soft, wilted and barely brown at some edges. Set aside to cool.

3.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs and egg whts. Stirring gently to avoid creating bubbles. Add evaporated milk, skim milk, salt, pepper, cayenne red pepper, and nutmeg (I use a small grinder and grate fresh nutmeg—the flavor is wonderful, if you cannot find a ball of nutmeg to grate, then the dry powder can be used).

Assembly Line time:

Directions to Assemble Quiche:

1.   Spread mustard over the bottom of the prebaked crust; sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs.

2.   Top with Gruyere, then the cooked leeks.

3.   Carefully pour in the egg mixture.

Disclaimer: Image from Stockphoto.

4.   Sprinkle with Parmesan.  

5. Now that the assembly is complete. Bake for 25 minutes, just until a knife inserted in the quiche will come out clean; meaning the quiche is now set and no longer a liquid.

6.  Let cool for 10 minutes, the setting process continues as it cools. Slice into pie pieces.