Ohhh la la... Quiche Lorraine, Fresh Fruit and English Muffins with Jam!
Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, the word quiche is from the German Kuchen, meaning cake.
The well-known 'quiche Lorraine' was an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard, which is called "migaine" in Lorraine, with smoked bacon or lardons. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine.[5] The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au gruyère or a quiche vosgienne. The 'quiche alsacienne' is similar to the 'quiche Lorraine', though onions are added to the recipe. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, but that has since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry crust that is often baked using a Springform pan.
Quiche became popular in England sometime after the Second World War, and in the U.S. during the 1950s. Today, one can find many varieties of quiche, from the original quiche Lorraine, to ones with broccoli, mushrooms, ham and/or seafood (primarily shellfish). Quiche can be served as an entrée, for lunch, breakfast or an evening snack.
To this day, there is a minor German influence on the cuisine of the Lorraine region. The origin of quiche Lorraine is rural and the original quiche Lorraine had a rustic flair: it was cooked in a cast-iron pan and the pastry edges were not crimped. Today, quiche Lorraine is served throughout France and has a modern look with a crimped pastry crust. Consumption of quiche Lorraine is most prevalent in the southern regions of France, where the warm climate lends itself to lighter fare. The current version of quiche Lorraine served in France does include cheese:[citation needed] either Emmental or Gruyère. Unlike the version served in the United States, the bacon is cubed, no onions are added and the custard base is thicker.
My version:
Crust:
2 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
6 Tblsp COLD butter cut into small cubes
4 Tblsp COLD Crisco cut into small cubes
2-6 Tblsp Cold Water.
This works best if EVERYTHING is put in the freezer for about 30 minutes before use.
Put the first 5 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until well mixed into about pea sized crumbles. keeping everything cold at this point is important to creating a flaky crust. Do not use your hand to mix the ingredients. If you do not have a food processor use a pastry blender or the back of two forks.
You want the fat and the flour to remain separate molecules.
Add water until a soft ball forms.
Flatten the crust into a six inch disk, wrap in saran wrap, and chill for thirty minutes.
Roll the crust out to the correct size to fill your quiche dish and up the sides.
bake crust in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until completely baked. ( you may need or want to use pie weights to keep the bottom from bubbling up, and to hold the sides securely upright. A pie weight can be made by lining your pan with foil, fill foil with 1/2 inch rice or uncooked beans, cover and completely seal rice with foil. )
When crust is baked.
Fill crust with
1/2 pound cooked bacon, cut into bite size pieces
1 pound shredded Swiss cheese
3 tbsp. sliced onions
( 8 sliced and sauteed mushrooms)
Custard:
12 eggs,
1 pt half and half
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of white pepper
pinch of salt
beat eggs, add 1/2 and 1/2 and other seasonings.
pour over filling
bake in 350 oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until custard is set.
remove from oven and let set for 15 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Crust recipe is from COOKS magazine
Filling and Custard is passed on to me from Chef William King. Savior Faire and McCormick and Schmicks.
PS... according to Bill, your crust should never break! All the custard is to remain in the shell. This is the hardest step for me. I think I tend to over bake my crusts and I am often too lazy to make and use a pie weight. So the crust bubbles and when filled cracks.
It still tastes fine, does not look as pretty, and if using a removable bottom tart pan, it makes a mess of your oven. In a commercial kitchen, baked on egg custard smells HORRID !!!
