Big City, Little Kitchen Cookin- EASY Quiche Lorraine

My roommate came home and said she was going to make a quiche lorraine for dinner (yes!)

She seriously whipped this thing up in about 10 minutes before putting it in our toaster oven.  You can make this simple dish in an entirely unequipped kitchen. You only need a stove (or hot plate), an oven (or toaster oven), and a cake pan/pie pan/ tart pan (or premade crust in a pan).

The difference between French recipes for quiche lorraine is that they use "creme fraiche" instead of heavy or light whipping cream.  Creme fraiche can be found in American grocery stores--it is often in the fine cheese section.  Creme fraiche is similar to sour cream--but don't think about substituting it with sour cream!

Ingredients: one sheet of pate (dough)
3 whole eggs
30 cl creme fraiche (1 and 1/4 cups and 1 teaspoon)
25 cl milk (1 cup and 1 tablespoon)
300 grams of bacon (about 12 ounces)
150 grams of shredded Emmental cheese (about 3/4 cups)
salt, pepper, nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F for 10 minutes.
2. Press the sheet of pate into a large cake pan and use a fork to poke holes throughout.  Put it in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out and let cool on the counter.
3.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until it is crispy. Then, drain the oil off with a paper towel and cut into small pieces.
4. In a medium bowl, whip the eggs together with the creme fraiche.  Slowly add the milk while continuing to beat the mixture.
5. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.
6. Spread the cooked bacon and cheese evenly across the bottom of the pan.   Then, pour the egg mixture on top.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400. The quiche is ready when a knife inserted one inch deep comes out clean.

Crêpes

I have very fond memories of walking the cold, damp streets of Paris with a warm crepe enveloped in my hands.

I explored with all types of fancy toppings until I settled on my personal favorite--"beurre et sucre" (butter and sugar).  A "crepe Suzette" (butter, sugar and lemon juice) is a close second.  And I can't leave out nutella!  My favorite crepe stand in Paris was across the street from the Centre Pompidou Museum and Library.  The guy making the crepe would paint my nutella on, as if it were a work of art..    

There is a restaurant in Los Angeles that makes wonderfully authentic crepes--Creme de la Crepe.  My favorite location is their Hermosa Beach one.  The owner is a young French guy who has been so successful because the food is so good and the service is so French.  I often go to brush up on my French, as all of the waiters are native French speakers.  My favorite is the "crepe splendide"--a crepe with strawberries, honey, whipped cream, and vanilla ice cream.

All of this leads me to my recent endeavor--to make crepes at home. I found a wonderfully simple recipe, and the crepes came out rather good.  

Recipe: Crepes

1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk, room temp.

3 large eggs, room temp.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl.  Whisk together milk and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisking to combine.  Whisk in butter.  Strain mixture into a medium bowl, and refrigerate for at least two hours (or up to one day).

2. Heat an 8" or 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Brush with butter.  Ladle 3 tablespoons batter (for smaller crepes)  or 1/3 cup batter (for large crepes) onto the skillet, turning and tilting the skillet to coat the bottom evenly with the batter.  Cook until the tops of the crepes appear set, about 1 minute.

3. Run a spatula along the edge of the crepe to loosen.  Slip the spatula under the crepe and gently flip in one swift gesture.  Cook until the bottom is firm, about 45 seconds.  Transfer to a plate.  Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately.

Cheese Soufflé

Yet another venture into the world of the mysterious *soufflé.*

This dish was such a delight due to both its taste and texture.  Though it tasted like scrambled eggs with cheese and near perfect seasoning, the texture was incredibly light and airy.  I imagine that clouds have a texture similar to soufflés.

Unlike chocolate souffles, I cooked the center completely through--so it was not gooey inside.  The recipe which would have made one regular sized souffle, or 5-6 mini souffles, used only 4 eggs (plus one egg white) and one cup of cheese.  That's less than a serving each of egg and cheese per souffle serving.

I used Julia Child's "cheese souffle" recipe in her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1. So, you can find the recipe in the book.

The texture alone makes the 25 minutes or so prep time worth it.  So next time you are having a lazy morning in, consider making this very special treat.  I served mine with bacon and orange juice, in my sunlit living room.  It's the little things...

Step 1: Dusting the ramekins with bread crumbs or parmesan cheese (If these were dessert souffles, we would use sugar.)  Souffles need something to cling onto so that they can climb the wall of the dish.

Step 2: Make a roux (oil+flour). Correct seasoning.

Step 3: Add the egg yolks, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Step 4: Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Incorporate into the egg yolk mixture by folding.  If you overfold or stir, your souffles will not rise.

Step 5: Fill the ramekins with the mixture. Then bake.

Remove from oven when the tops have lightly browned.

Voila!

*If you plan on purchasing Julia Child's incredible book, I recommend Amazon.  The list price is $40, and the Amazon price is $26.40.

Pâté à choux (Choux Pastry)

Choux pastry is used to make cream puffs, eclairs, and profiteroles.  You can also use choux pastry for a number of savory items, including cheese puff and even gnocchi. 

This was my first time working with choux pastry, and we made "cheese puffs."  I made the basic choux pastry, and then I added Swiss cheese to it before I put it in the pastry bag.  The cheese puffs were absolutely delectable and disappeared as soon as I took them out of the oven.

Recipe: Choux Pastry

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, water, butter and salt. Bring to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat when the butter melts.  Add the flour and stir vigourously with a wooden spoon until blended. 

2. Return the pan to medium heat and continue stirring until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball.  Remove from heat and let cool for 3 minutes, or until 140 degrees F.

3. Whisk one egg in a small bowl.  Once the batter has cooled, pour the egg into the batter and beat with a spoon until incorporated.  Add the remaining 3 eggs one at a time by whisking each one first and then stirring it into the batter.  Let the paste cool for 10 minutes before shaping.

4. Position a rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Line a rimless baking sheet with a silicone mat.  Fit a piping bag with a 5 mm plain tip, and fill the bag with the paste. 

5. For each puff, pipe about 1 teaspoon paste onto the lined baking sheet.  Bake the puffs for 15 minutes.  Then, reduce the heat to 375 F and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick the sides to allow the steam to vent.  Return to the oven, leave the door open, and allow the puffs to vent for about 10 minutes.

For cheese puffs:
Follow the above recipe, but add 1 cup of Swiss cheese after beating the eggs into the paste.  Stir the cheese into the warm paste, and fill the piping bag with the paste.

Classic Cheese Fondue

Fondue. It comes from the French word "fondre," which means "to melt."

If you read this blog and you know me at all, you know that I love fondue! It's such a wonderful winter treat. One of my favorite fondues is the "classic" cheese fondue. It's a combination of Gruyere and Emmenthal cheese. It really is a classic fondue, and it is so delicious! I like to serve this with bread, apples, broccoli, and cauliflower.

My fondue pot is electric, so it's super easy and convenient. This recipe is for an electric fondue pot, but if you have a regular one, just make it in a saucepan and then pour into your fondue pot. Enjoy!

Recipe- Classic Cheese Fondue
6-8 Servings

1 pound Gruyere, grated
3/4 pound Emmenthal, grated
6 teaspoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove, cut in half
2 and 1/4 cups DRY white wine
dash of nutmeg
2 and 1/2 tablespoons Kirschwasser

1. Place the grated cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the cornstarch and toss to coat the grated cheese completely. Reserve.
2. Rub the bottom and lower half of the sides of a fondue pot (or sauce pan) with the cut sides of the garlic cloves. Add the wine to the pot and bring to a strong simmer (bubbling, but not boiling strongly).
3. While stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or nonstick whisk, gradually whisk in the grated cheeses, sprinkling in one handful at a time; don't add any more cheese until each handful is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the kirschwasser and nutmeg.

Croissants

This is quite possibly one of the most challenging things I've ever made. My mom, sister, and I joined forces in this attempt. It took us three days before they were finished. We also ended up throwing out the first batch! My mom and sister quit on them after the first "turn." I persevered and saved them. Good thing I did cuz these were the flakiest, butteriest croissants I've ever had outside of Europe!!!

One reason they were so challenging is because not only have we never made them before, but we have never seen anyone make them before. The unknown was part of the frustration. Also, the dough is a "sticky dough." I had never worked with sticky dough before, and let me tell you, it was sticky--and not easy to work with.

First, we made the sticky dough and we beat the butter into a rectangular sheet. We then wrapped the dough around the butter, and started the process of "turning" the dough. This was the confusing, time-consuming part. You have to "turn" the dough--roll it out, and fold it in thirds, about 5 five times, letting it rest in the refrigerator 30-45 minutes between each "turn." After the last turn, the dough needs to cool in the refrigerator between 4 and 8 hours. Lastly, you roll the dough out, cut it into triangles, shape the croissants, and let it rise for about 2 hours. The dough will rise once it is out of the refrigerator. After it rises, glaze it with an egg wash, and bake until golden brown.

It was all worth it when they came out of the oven! I definitely give them an A. And the next time I make them, it will probably take more like 1 day instead of 3 days.

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine.. a great twist on your classic "eggs and bacon" for breakfast!

My mother is actually the guest chef/baker for this post. She made the pie crust and the quiche--and took the pictures. Unfortunately, I didn't get to eat any (since both my mom and the quiche were about 2,000 miles away). However, I will vouch for it since my incredibly picky-eater 17 year old sisters--who don't like much of anything--devoured the quiche in less than 24 hours!

"Quiche Lorraine is so easy to make and it tastes very good. I made my own crust and partially baked it, using pie weights (see photo), before adding the filling. If you don't have pie weights, you can use dry beans. Quiche is normally served for brunch or lunch, and it is a Sunday moring favorite at our house. From the time it came out of the oven, it did not last very long. And my youngest daughter asked me, 'Mom, when are you going to make quiche again?'"-- Diane Lomas

I must say, beautiful crust mom!

Try Emeril Lagassee's Quiche Lorraine Recipe:

Par baked crust (recipe follows)
6 ounces thick cut bacon cut into narrow strips

2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Arrange the bacon evenly over the bottom of the baked crust.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, yolks, and half and half. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour into the par baked crust and bake until the custard is golden, puffed, and set yet still slightly wiggly in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Par baked Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed

To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter in the processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube and pulse quickly 5 or 6 times, or until the dough comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of the container. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and trim the edges. (Alternatively, a 9-inch pie pan can be used.) Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is set, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. 

Souffle

Being the lover of French food that I am, it should be no surprise that souffle is something I adore. This was my first attempt to make a souffle. I admit, it took me three days, but that's because of the egg whites! Souffles only have a few ingredients--mainly chocolate, eggs, and sugar. The only leavening agent is the egg whites, so if the egg whites aren't prepared correctly, the souffle won't rise. The lightness of a souffle can be attributed to the lack of flour and butter.

So, how do you prepare the egg whites correctly? There are a few cardinal rules:

1. Make sure that absolutely NO egg yolk is in the egg whites. Not even a trace.
2. Don't beat the egg whites until they are at room temperature.
3. If you over-beat the egg whites, you will end up with a sticky mess!
4. Be gentle when "folding" the egg whites into the egg yolk/sugar/chocolate batter.

If you can figure out the egg whites, the rest of the souffle is a breeze (assuming your oven heats evenly).

I was really shocked that my very first souffle came out so well! It was delicious--incredibly chocolatey. It is so chocolatey, you will need vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to go along with it. My roommate made souffle a few days ago (under my watchful eye). We halved the recipe and used the individual-sized ramekins. I also made a whipped cream to go along with it--just beat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons powder sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Enjoy! (Will post recipe soon)