March 12, 2010: Quiche Lorraine

One Saturday night when I was a teen, Liz, my best friend Laurie's mother, was hostessing a cocktail party. Laurie and I were called into service to help out in the kitchen and to serve. Then, I saw it! There, on a silver platter, was a tasty-looking pastry cut into bite-size squares sitting on a paper doily. I just had to sample it for myself. Never before had I tasted such buttery and salty perfection! This was around 1970 and quiche was mainstreaming its way into mouths of young sophisticates and started to appear on restaurant menus all over town. In turn, it became associated with the artsy set, and the saying, "Real men don't eat quiche" was coined. As far as I'm concerned, all the men in my life have my blessing to eat quiche.

Quiche Lorraine is the most basic of quiche recipes. Use it as a foundation to add your own savory combinations of ingredients, such as fresh herbs, sauteed mushrooms, diced ham, steamed asparagus or broccoli, smoked salmon and fresh dill, chopped cooked spinach, various cheese varieties, sauteed shrimp, sweet or hot peppers... the list is endless. Still, I find the simplicity of the delicate Gruyere-laced custard -- without embellishments -- is most satisfying of all.

QUICHE LORRAINE

1 recipe for single pastry crust
3 large eggs
1/4 t sea salt
A few grindings of fresh pepper
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 1/2 butter, cut into bits

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line pie or tart pan with pastry dough. Prick the bottom with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Butter a piece of foil and set buttered-side-down on the chilled dough. Fill completely with dried beans. Bake in lower level of oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and beans, prick the bottom again with a fork, return the foil and beans, and bake another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Make the quiche filling: Beat the eggs with the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and milk. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the bottom of the cooled crust. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese. Dot the top with the butter bits. Bake in the upper level of your oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the quiche is puffy and golden-brown.