20 | 52 Salmon Asparagus Quiche

It's definitely time for another savory recipe!

And there is (or at least: should be) always time for quiche!

This week's Salmon Asparagus Quiche is very quick and easy.

It's great to impress guests (or just yourself).

And you can make it a day (or two) in advance because it's perfect served cold.

Salmon Asparagus Quiche

Adapted from my mom's Tuna Quiche recipe which she got from a lady about 25 years ago...

For the crust:

150 g (1 1/3 stick) butter, cold

200 ml (3/4 cup) flour

3 tablespoon cold water

For the filling:

250 g (9 oz) salmon filets

200 g (7 oz) heavy cream

200 g (7 oz) cream cheese with herbs or horseradish

2 eggs

200 g (7 oz) green asparagus

salt and pepper

dill, fresh or frozen

• For the crust: knead together all ingredients. Works best using your hands.
• Distribute evenly in quiche or pie baking dish. Also easiest when just using your fingers - no rolling pin needed. Also: no prior greasing of the pan needed because there is so much butter in the crust itself.
• Cool in fridge until filling is ready.
• For the filling, whisk together heavy cream, cream cheese, and eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Cut the raw salmon filets into smaller cubes. If you're using the really thin green asparagus (works best for this recipe), wash the stems and cut into 3 cm/1 in long pieces, and set aside. If you are using the thicker asparagus, peel, cut into 3 cm/1 in long pieces, and cook in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Take your quiche crust out of the fridge, distribute salmon pieces on it evenly. Top with asparagus pieces. Pour cream-egg mixture over it. Sprinkle with dill (don't be afraid to use a lot).
• Bake at 225ºC (430ºF) for 35 minutes. Serve at room temperature or cold (which I like better). Keeps in the fridge for 3 days.

My modifications:

I made the crust with half white and half whole wheat flour. It was really good and I will definitely make it like this again.

The taste:

I didn't use enough salt but other than that: great! I served it for brunch and it was a hit with my guests (at least they said they really liked it...) :)

What's your favorite quiche recipe?

45*52 Red Cabbage-Pear Quiche

This quiche is packed with autumn goodness: 

red cabbage, leek, pears, potatoes.

Pure comfort food, if you ask me. And just perfect for the season.

Red Cabbage-Pear Quiche

From Le Menu 10/13

1 quiche crust or 1 round puff pastry

Topping

3 potatoes, cooked, peeled, in slices

1 leek, in rings

100 g (3.5 oz) red cabbage, shredded

150 g (5.3. oz) Gruyère cheese, shredded

1-2 pears, peeled, cored, in slices

Glaze

2 eggs

200 ml (0.85 cup) milk

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

pepper

chives or parsley

• Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
• Put quiche crust or puff pastry into round pie pan.
• Distribute potatoes evenly. Combine leek, cabbage, and cheese and put on top of the potatoes. Add the pears.
• Mix all ingredients for the glaze and pour over vegetables.
• Bake on lower oven rack for 30-35 minutes. Best served hot or warm.

My modifications:

The recipe called for quiche/pie crust but I used puff pastry.
It also called for chives but I replaced it with parsley.

The taste:

Autumnal. Healthy. Comforting. Very yummy (if you hadn't guessed that already).

What's your favorite comfort food for fall/autumn?

17*52 Mexican Quiche

Sometimes I just have to bake something savory. I hope you understand.

Have I already told you how much I miss Mexican and Tex-Mex food?
If you know a great Mexican/Tex-Mex restaurant in Europe, please let me know. The ones I've been to have been good but not entirely convincing.

(Sorry guys - if somebody else had said that I would have been offended and a bit pissed... But that's just the way it is and I don't mean to sound pretentious. Really.)

So for now, let's bake something Mexican-inspired at home. 

Mexican Quiche

Adapted from the foodnetwork

1 quiche/savory pie crust

500 g (1 lb) ground beef

3 eggs, beaten

200 g (1 cup) salsa

170 g (2 cups) shredded cheese

1 onion, finely diced

1 bell pepper, diced

jalapeños

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt

fresh cilantro

tomatoes

sour cream

avocado

black olives

• Prepare crust. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add onions and bell pepper and cook until they are softening. Drain off liquid, if necessary, and add jalapeños and spices. Cook for another 2 minutes. 
• Take off heat, add salsa, eggs, and cheese, and pour into crust. 
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
• Serve with cilantro, diced tomatoes, sour cream, avocado slices (or guacamole), and/or olives. And a little side salad (like iceberg with just a vinegar-no oil dressing).

My modifications:

I added the bell pepper and I think it would have been a bit too meaty if I hadn't.

I also added the jalapeños because I love them and I could eat them with anything. If you like it a bit spicy, don't leave them out.

The original recipe calls for a ready-made pie/pastry crust but I think you might as well make your own. It's quick and easy and good.

The taste:

Very good. A solid and yummy dinner. Maybe not tooooo Mexican but hey...

I think I would add a bit more spices next time. But that's about it.

Is there a specific food you miss where you live? What is it?

Quiche / (Savory) Pie Crust

This is my go-to crust recipe for any quiche or savory pie. It is so quick and easy to make, there's really no need to buy the ready-made one.

It's from a recipe for Tuna Quiche which is a classic in my family and which my mom got from another lady about 25 years ago.

150 g (1 1/3 stick) butter, cold

200 ml (3/4 cup) flour

3 tablespoon cold water

• Knead together all ingredients. It works best using your hands.
• Distribute evenly in quiche or pie baking dish. Also easiest when just using your fingers - no rolling pin needed. Also: no prior greasing of the pan needed because there is so much butter in the crust itself.
• Cool in fridge until filling is ready.

6*52 Savoy Cabbage Quiche

Savoy cabbage is one of my favorite winter vegetables and I'm always looking out for new ways to prepare it.
When I stumbled upon this recipe, I knew that it was gonna be awesome. And it was.
Add some fried sausages for the non-vegetarians and you have a solid meal that you can totally make for your friends.

Savoy cabbage Quiche

Adapted from WDR2 Einfach Gote

Crust

300 g flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

125 g butter

1 egg

Filling

1 medium savoy cabbage (about 800 g)

50 g butter

3 eggs

150 g creme fraîche

100 g mountain cheese, grated

salt, pepper, nutmeg

• Cut cold butter into smaller cubes. Using your mixer knead flour, baking powder and butter until crumbly. Add egg and continue to knead until solid dough is forming. If it doesn't get smooth, add a bit of cold water. Using your hands, knead into a ball and let rest in your fridge for about 30 minutes.
• Take away the outer dark green leaves of the cabbage. Quarter the cabbage head, remove stem and throw away. Cut  leaves into stripes. Heat butter and stir-fry cabbage stripes. Add salt, pepper, a bit of nutmeg, and 3 teablespoons water, put lid on and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove lid and cook until all liquid has evaporated. Let cool.
• Roll out dough and put into prepared quiche pan. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Whisk together eggs, creme fraîche, salt and pepper. Mix cabbage and grated cheese and spread evenly onto crust. Pour egg mixture on top and bake for about 40 minutes. Let rest in oven for 5 minutes before serving.

My modifications:

None. Just what I always do with piecrusts like this one: I distribute the dough with my hands before putting it into the fridge. It's so much easier than cooling it and then rolling it out.

The taste:

Very good! The guests really liked it as well. I will definitely make this one again - so good!

What's your favorite quiche or savory pie?

22/52 Asparagus-Quiche

As mentioned in week 20, asparagus and strawberries are (some of my culinary) highlights of the season. So before asparagus season comes to an end, let's bake something with it.

How does Asparagus-Quiche sound? Not too bad, right?

Asparagus-Quiche

Adapted from essen & trinken 5/2012

250 g (2 cups) flour

125 g (1.1 stick) butter

salt

6 eggs

500 g (1.1 lb) white asparagus

500 g (1.1 lb) green asparagus

250 g (1.1 cup) sour cream

100 g (1 cup) parmesan, finely grated

fresh chervil for garnishing

• Knead together flour, butter, a pinch of salt and one egg until you have a smooth dough. (I find using my hands best for kneading this kind of dough but of course you can use your mixer.)

• Place dough into pie/quiche baking form and distribute evenly (I find using your fingers the easiest option). Poke holes into it with a fork, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for an hour.

• Peel asparagus, cut off the ends and cut into halves. Place the white asparagus into boiling water (with a bit of salt and sugar), cover and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the green asparagus and cook for another 2 minutes. Take all asparagus out with a spoon, place into ice-cold water and drain. Then place it on a kitchen towel and let dry.

• Put parchment paper on the pie crust, cover with dry beans/peas/lentils and blind-bake at 200°C (390°F) on the lowest oven rack for 15 minutes.

• Divide one egg, put egg yolk aside and whisk egg white a bit. Take pie crust out of the oven, remove parchment paper and brush on whisked egg white immediately. Bake for another 10 minutes.

• Mix sour cream with egg yolk, remaining 4 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and parmesan. Distribute asparagus evenly on pie crust and pour sour cream mix on top. 

• Bake on lowest oven rack at 200°C (390°F) for 35-45 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chervil leaves.

My modifications:

None. 

Except for the method of placing the dough into the form = using my fingers right after kneading when it is nice and smooth, not rolling it out with a roll pin after 1 hour in the fridge. But I always do it like that. It's just so much easier!

The taste:

Well, as I said, I do really like asparagus. But not necessarily in this recipe. I mean, of course I like the asparagus, just not so much in this "setting". First of all, I felt that the whole quiche was in need of more salt (and I am usually not a salt person...). Overall, it just lacked flavor. And even though it was a bit bland, the asparagus still kind of went under. A pity!

So for me: 

Quiche = yes, please! Asparagus = every day while in season! 

But (this) Asparagus-Quiche = not necessarily.

What are your favorite seasonal fruit or veggies?