Bacon and Broccoli Quiche

A quiche seems like one of the quintessential French dishes adopted by American cuisine during the 20th century, savory cream and egg custard filling in an open face pastry crust. However pastries filled with savory custard date back to at the Romans and the term quiche comes from the German word kuchen for cake, as the modern idea of quiche came about in medieval German cuisine. Any number of different meat, cheese and vegetable variations may be made into a quiche, though bacon and cheese is especially classic given the popularity of quiche Lorraine. I am fond of quiches with vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, leek, onion or mushrooms in addition to desired meats and/or cheeses.

The bacon and broccoli can easily be substituted for any number of alternative meats, cheese or vegetables depending upon availability and personal preference.

1 c flour

½ c butter, cubed

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp fresh herbs, finely chopped

cold water

3 eggs

1 c cream

1 head broccoli

2 strips bacon, thinly sliced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1. Combine flour, salt, pepper and herbs in food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until well combined with flour. Add water 1 tbsp at a time while pulsing until flour mixture just begins to hold together. Remove from processor, form dough into ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Place flattened dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll dough into a 12" circle. Place rolled dough on a 9" pie pan, gently press dough into the shape of the pan and form edge of dough as desired. Refrigerate the dough in the pie pan for 30 minutes before baking.

3. Place bacon in a medium frying pan over medium heat and brown bacon, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Once bacon has browned, combine bacon with broccoli and set aside. Whisk cream, eggs, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined and set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pre-bake crust until set and lightly golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Once crust has set, remove from oven, leaving oven on. Arrange broccoli and bacon evenly along the bottom of the crust. Pour egg mixture over broccoli and bacon. Return quiche to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until firm and clean to a knife. Remove quiche from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

5. Serve quiche warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one 9" quiche

Fresh Lemon Tart with Sweet Rosemary Crust

Lemon, Citrus x limon, is the tart fruit of an evergreen, by the same name. Likely native to Asia, lemons were generally utilized for their medicinal properties as well as ornamental appeal. They spread to the Middle East and Europe about 2000 years ago, but were not truly cultivated until 500-1000 years ago. Lemons were brought to the States by Italian explorers, as they were being cultivated in Italy at the time, and eventually made their way into cuisine in the States during the 18th and 19th centuries as their cultivation increased in California and Florida. Lemons might be one of my favorite fruits to cook with due to its endless versatility. A fresh lemon tart is delicious with a little cream and a chilled glass of white wine sangria.

Lavender may be used in place of rosemary.

For the lovely Annie, on her birthday.

2 lemons, sliced paper thin

3 tbsp sugar

1 c flour

1 tbsp sugar

½ c cold butter, cubed

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

½ tsp salt

1 cold egg

1 tbsp butter, melted

1. Combine lemons and 2 tbsp sugar, cover and macerate lemons in a non-reactive dish for 12-24 hours at room temperature. After macerating, adjust sugar to taste.

2. Next, combine flour, sugar, salt and rosemary, add butter and gently work into dry ingredients. Add egg and gently work in until crust barely holds together. Place dough in the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using fingertips, press chilled crust into a 10" tart or 9" pie pan. Chill crust in pan for about 15 minutes.

4. Place crust in the oven and pre-bake until lightly golden brown, 8-12 minutes depending upon thickness of crust, watching carefully so as not to over cook. Leave oven on, but remove crust from oven.

5. Drain lemons, retaining liquid and spread evenly over baked crust. Combine liquid from macerated lemons and melted butter, evenly spoon over lemons. Return the tart to the oven, allowing lemons to heat and slightly brown, 2-4 minutes, watching carefully, so as not to overcook. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

6. Serve tart warm, room temperature or chilled. Plain or with cream or ice cream.

Makes one 9-10" tart

Rustic Peach Berry Tart

Peaches are such a classic summer fruit and so fitting for an early August dessert. Both the botanical term persica and the word peach derive from an early belief in Europe that peaches originated in Persia. Originally domesticated in China thousands of years ago, peaches, a member of the rose family, made their way to Persia and the Mediterranean along the Silk Road. Domesticated peaches are classified as either clingstone, flesh clinging to the stone, or freestone, flesh free of the stone. Berries are a lovely compliment peaches and taste delicious on the shortbread like crust of this peach berry tart.

Any berry may be used in addition to or in place of strawberries.

1 ¼ c flour

2 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp butter

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

¼ tsp salt

2 peaches, pitted and sliced into ½ inch pieces

½ c strawberries, trimmed and quartered

¼ tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp corn starch

2 tbsp butter, softened

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium-mixing bowl. Add the butter and gently combine well with the flour mixture. Add the egg and milk; gently combine until the dough holds together. Press the dough evenly into a pie pan and place the crust into the fridge for about ½ an hour.

2. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine peaches and strawberries in medium mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar and cornstarch and combine well.

3. When the oven is preheated, remove the crust from the fridge and spread fruit evenly over the dough. Dot the softened butter over the fruit. Place the tart in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

4. Remove pie from oven. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes ones 9" tart

Leek Galette

A galette is a free-form rustic pie or tart, depending on the crust used, commonly associated with French cuisine. Galettes are great alternatives to traditional pies and tarts as their lack of structure and ease in forming make them beautiful and unique, leaving size, shape and form up to each individual cook. A galette can be made either sweet or savory depending upon preference and can be filled with any number of different ingredients as long as the filling is not too moist, as the crust needs to be able to contain the filling on its own. After discovering leeks are delicious baked on their own with few additional ingredients, I started making leek galettes a few years ago. Leek galettes go well with any number of dishes including butternut squash soup or purée, mashed carrots or smashed new potatoes.

For everyone who requested this recipe.

Crust

1 ¼ c flour

½ c butter

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ - ½ c cold water

Filling

2 leeks, trimmed, halved and chopped into ¼ wide strips

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

1. To make filling: heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek and sauté until lightly cooked and brilliant green, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set filling aside to cool while making crust.

2. To make crust: thoroughly combine flour, butter, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl or food processor. Slowly add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, to flour mixture and gently combine until dough begins to form. Being careful not to add too much water or over work dough. Form dough into a ball and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Crust may be made and refrigerated up to one day in advance.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove crust from refrigerator and place in between two 18" sections of parchment paper. Roll dough into large circle, between 10-12" in diameter and ¼" thick. Remove parchment paper from crust and place crust on a baking sheet.

4. Mound filling into a circle in the center of crust about 1" thick, leaving a 2" edge. Fold edge of crust around leek filling, gently pressing folded crust around filling. Using a pastry brush, brush crust with egg.

5. Place galette in oven and bake until golden brown, 25-40 minutes. Remove galette and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

6. Slice galette and serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one 8-10" galette

Vegetable or Vegetable Lamb Pasties

Pasties, likely originating in England, were traditionally fed to laborers, particularly miners, because they could hold the crust, eat the filling without touch it and discard the dirty crust once they had finished eating. Butte, Montana has a strong tradition of pasties due to it being a mining town with Irish heritage. I like making pasties because they are such a perfect meal, work with many different fillings and can easily be taken to go or frozen for later. Soups such as mustard green or roasted squash and salads such as caesar or beet make great starters for pasties.

Other ground meats may be substituted for lamb such as beef or bison. Other combinations or proportions of vegetables will work as well. Most fresh herbs will work in the crust including rosemary, thyme, mint or parsley.

Made especially for Annie, who specifically requested pasties.

Crust

2 ¼ c flour

1 c chilled butter, cubed

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

ice water

Filling

1 medium red potato, finely cubed

1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely diced

1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 carrot, trimmed and finely diced

½ c peas

½ c spinach, roughly chopped

5 button mushrooms, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

¼ lb ground lamb*

1 tbsp butter, melted

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 egg, beaten

*lamb may be added or omitted depending upon preference

1. To make crust: thoroughly combine flour, butter, baking powder, herbs, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl or food processor. Slowly add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, to flour mixture and gently combine until dough begins to form. Being careful not to add too much water or over work dough. Form dough into two balls and place in the refrigerator.

2. To make filling: combine all vegetables, butter, seasoning and lamb if desired in a large mixing bowl. There may be remaining filling depending upon desired size of pasties.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator, each ball between two squares of parchment paper and roll each into a 12" diameter circle. Place 1 ½ -2 c filling on ½ of each circle, leaving a 2" border of dough. Fold the other ½ of the dough over the filling. Pinch border closed, cut a 1" slit into the top of the pastie and place pastie on a baking sheet. Repeat process with second circle. Brush pasties with beaten egg.

4. Place pasties in oven and bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Remove pasties from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve pasties warm.

Makes 2 pasties