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.

Tomato Tart--this ain't pizza!

The bar is OVER and the blog is BACK! There will be bi-weekly updates, so check back often.
It's summer, and one of my favorite things about summer is summer vegetables!  Do your body and your taste buds a favor and pick up some beautiful tomatoes at your local farmer's market this weekend.

I enjoyed two slices of this for dinner along with a glass of champagne. The herbs de provence provide a hint of lavender, and celebrate the ripeness of the tomatoes.  The egg custard provided a smooth texture, contrasting the flakiness of the homemade tart crust.

To make this tart, you will need to either make the crust, or use a pre-made crust.

12 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 par-baked 9-inch tart crust (see roasted potato tart recipe)

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

2 large eggs

1/4 cup light cream

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper.

1. Position your oven racks so that one is in the center. Preheat to 375 degrees.

2. Put the tomato slices in a colander, and place it in the sink. Let the tomatoes sit for 15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid.

3. Spread the mustard evenly over the tart shell. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard, and sprinkle the herbes de Provence over the cheese.

4. Working from the outside in, lay the drained tomato slices in overlapping concentric circles, making sure the crust is covered entirely.

5. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, or a large measuring cup with a spout, to break up the yolks. Whisk in the cream, salt, and pepper. This is your custard. Pour the custard evenly over the tomatoes until it comes to about 1/4 inch from the top edge of the crust.  (If you have a little extra, don't worry about it).

6. Place the tart on the center rack in the oven, and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the custard is set. (Set custard won't jiggle when you shake the pan and will be firm when you touch it). The tomatoes in this tart may give off a hot liquid--don't confuse this with uncooked eggs and overcook your tart. The liquid will evaporate as the tart cools.

7. Remove the tart from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Allow the tart to cool slightly.

Strawberry Season!

I just bought a pound of strawberries from my local grocer for 79 cents!  I've always loved strawberry season.  As a little girl, my family would go to a friend's strawberry field and pick crates of fresh strawberries.  My mother and sister would stay in the car, so it was just my dad and I out in the field--getting dirty and having a good time!  After we ate as many fresh strawberries as we could, my parents would make jars of strawberry preserves.  

Several months ago, I came across a beautiful strawberry tart that I wanted to make.  I patiently waited for strawberries to be in season, and finally got around to making it just yesterday.

 I'm always a little wary about fruit tarts because their taste rarely matches their aesthetics.  I altered the recipe and used my grandmother's famous "strawberry delight" crust instead of a regular pie crust.  But, this was fairly simple to make, and even easier if you buy a pre-made pie crust.  (The recipe is at the bottom of the post.)

 I pretty much never make it to Louisiana during strawberry season these days.  But I did this year.  I'm so glad I did, because I got to enjoy some Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager.  I found some at the Fresh Market which is walking distance from my house.  This beer was so delicious!  I'm not really a beer girl, but it was very light and crisp, with a slightly sweet taste and the aroma of strawberries throughout.  The beer is made with Louisiana strawberries that were picked at their ripest, so it's seasonal and only a very limited supply is made.

Strawberry Tart Recipe

1 fully baked pie crust

1 cup cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, cold

3/4 cup heavy cream, cold

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

20 fresh strawberries, hulled

1. Mix cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with the whip attachment of a stand mixer, or a hand mixer on medium, until firm peaks form (about 2 minutes).  Pour into the fully baked pie crust.  Arrange the strawberries on to the tart. Refrigerate.

2. Serve cold.

Roasted Potatoes and Sauteed Mushrooms Tart

I bought a tart pan about 3 months ago, so I have been meaning to make a tart for quite some time!  I decided to bake a savory tart so that it could also be dinner.

This project had a combined preparation and bake time of about 2 and a half hours. That time can be greatly reduced by buying an already prepared pie shell, or simply preparing the tart dough ahead of time. Also, it takes me a really long time do simple tasks like slicing mushrooms.  

It was super delish.  This dish also reminded me that vegetarian dishes can be hearty and flavorful.  The chopped fresh tarragon definitely added a layer of complexity.

1 par baked pie/tart crust
1 lb of small red potatoes (about 4), sliced into thin discs (about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup light whipping cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Gruyere or Parmesan cheese
1 lb of white button mushrooms

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Combine the garlic, onion, potatoes, and half of the olive oil (1/8 cup).  Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and ground pepper.  Spread out mixture evenly on a cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, until onions are translucent. Let cool.  Reduce oven to 375.

2. Sprinkle the fresh tarragon onto the crust.  Put the potato mixture into the tart crust.  Whip the eggs, whipping cream, and salt in a small bowl.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Pour on top of the potato mixture in the tart pan.  Don't try to use the entire egg mixture if it looks like it is going to overflow.  Leave about 1/4 inch from the top of the pan.  Bake 55-60 minutes, or until the egg mixture sets.  If you jiggle the tart and the egg mixture does not jiggle, then it is set.  Remove from oven.

3. While the tart was baking.... heat 1/8 cup olive oil over in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown sliced mushrooms in the skillet for 5-10 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and stir. Remove from heat.
4.  Once you remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle the 1/2 cup of cheese on the top.  Spread the mushrooms evenly on top of the cheese.  Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Enjoy!

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.