It’s chilly and rainy and gloomy and foggy and Thanksgiving is coming up. I know you all are running around your kitchens frantically trying to get as much done before the big day. Well, I’m not. Nope. This is the first year I’m taking charge of the Thanksgiving menu and I’m not one bit worried. My dad is going to cook the turkey (he likes Alton Brown’s method and so do I), and I have planned a beautiful salad, sweet potato fries with dipping sauce, whole wheat cornbread, and some sort of unadulterated greens. Unadulterated greens, you ask? I don’t really believe in adding loads of fat (no matter how good it tastes) to my vegetables when I already plan to have a big meal followed by dessert. And I don’t believe in green bean casseroleever. I do, however, believe in quiches.
The difference between a quiche and a green bean casserole is more than just classiness. First, a quiche is more versatile–you can add any type of vegetable you want. Second, it’s a lot easier to make a lower calorie/fat version and still have it taste good (um, not that I did). Third, it doesn’t usually call for cans of condensed soup laced with preservatives. I’m sure there are other reasons, and I think you quiche lovers should let me know what they are. In fact, the person who gives me the best reason as to why quiche is better than green bean casserole (in general or for Thanksgiving) will get aspecial prize from me. It may or may not include baked goods. It’ll likely contain something else. Just know that it comes from me, and I am awesome, which makes any sort of prize I send awesome as well.
To the quiche! This is surprisingly the first quiche I have ever made. I wanted to call it a tart, but it’s really a quiche. My inspiration was the kale I am currently obsessed with; I felt that it would be great in this kind of dish because it would get the cooking time it desperately needs to reach a state of perfect tenderness.I’ll happily eat my kale slightly al dente, but other people around here are a bit pickier. Anyway, I was right–the kale in this was cooked to perfection and melded well with the leeks and custard. I’ll also mention that I did something a bit different with the cheese in this quiche. I love Boursin and its intense garlic (and herb) flavor, both of which I felt would go well with the chive crust. I smeared a bunch of it onto the crust before filling, and sprinkled some in afterward. It was a flavorful addition. Trust me when I say that this quiche will satisfy all of your needs.
Contest is not your normal tell-everyone-about-it-and-follow-me giveaway–it’s mostly to feed my craziness & to provide one of my regular readers with a holiday treat from yours truly. Comments will be cut off onFriday, November 26th. My mom will be picking the winner to avoid any impropriety on my part. Please live in the United States or Canada–I’m poor and can’t afford shipping overseas.
Chive Pie Crust
From Cooking Light
5 oz all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
4 tsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 400F.
Note: you will be roasting squash for the filling as you preheat and bake your crust.
1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and chives in a bowl.
2. Cut in vegetable shortening.Tip: if you don’t have a pastry blender, use a sturdy metal wire whisk to “mash” the shortening into the dry ingredients. The picture below shows you get the same results.
3. Combine butter and water and make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add into well and bring flour into mixture until it resembles wet clumps.Note: mine was more like a really thick porridge.
4. Make a rough disk on parchment paper or plastic wrap, wrap dough, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Roll dough out into a 13″ inch circle. Line the bottom of 10″ tart pan or springform with parchment, and then fit dough into bottom and press into sides. If using tart pan, remove excess.
6. Line bottom of crust with foil and add pie weights. Lower oven to 375F and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 15 minutes before adding cheese in next section.
Kale, Leek & Squash Quiche Filling
From The Baking Barrister
1 cup diced leeks
7 stalks kale (5 cups), shredded
1 1/2 cups squash, 1″ chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1.5 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 package Boursin
1. Place squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake along with the pie crust until browned.
2. When cool, spread half the package of Boursin on the bottom of your crust using the back of a spoon. Take care not to crack the crust.
3. In a large saute pan on medium heat, add vegetable stock and garlic. Cook until fragrant.
4. Add leeks and kale to pan, mix around, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, until leeks and kale are soft and nearing tender. Remove lid and allow the remainder of the liquid to evaporate.
5. Add kale and leek mixture to the pie crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with half the squash and the remainder of the cheese.
6. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over filling, taking care to leave at least 1/4 inch between filling and top of crust.
7. Sprinkle remainder of squash on top of quiche.
8. Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes until puffy and slightly brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from tin. Top with chopped chives.
