Julia Child's Easy and Delicious Quiche
Source of Recipe
Adapted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child (Alfred A. Knopf, New York). Copyright 1989 by Julia Child.
Recipe Introduction
Quiche is an easy dish for luncheons, suppers, or appetizers. Its savory filling of cheese and onions, or spinach, or lobster or etc., is held together by a custard--liquid and eggs which slowly coagulate in the oven.
All-purpose custard. Whatever the filling, the custard mixture remains the same, and as you can't be exact about total amounts since pie shells vary in depth, you can at least calculate the custard by egg:
List of Ingredients
Whisk 1 "large" egg in a measuring cup. Blend in liquid (usually milk) to reach the 1/2 c. mark.
For example, whisk 3 eggs into 4-c. measure and stir in enough milk to reach the 1 1/2-c. mark. Whisk in a little salt to taste, freshly ground white pepper plus perhaps a speck of nutmeg, or drops of hot-pepper sauce. This is usually the amount you'll need for an 8- to 9-inch shell.
Pie shells for quiche:
Quiches are traditionally served in a prebaked, freestanding, straight-sided shell formed in a ring 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep. If you can't find one, use a regular pie tin with slanting sides or a store-bought frozen pie shell. Or, for appetizers, bake in a free-form rectangular shell that cuts nicely into bite sizes. In any case, prick the bottom of the dough at 1/4-inch intervals with a table fork and, to prevent sides from collapsing and bottom from rising, weigh down with buttered aluminum foil filled with dried beans (which can be kept and used indefinitely for this purpose). Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes, until the dough has set; remove foil and beans and bake another 7 to 8 minutes more, to brown slightly.
Recipe
Cheese and Onion Quiche
2-3 c. sliced onions cooked to very tender in 2 tbsps. olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little sage.
prebaked 9-inch pie shell in its ring or tin
1/4 c. lightly pressed down, coarsely grated Swiss cheese
1 1/2 c. of the preceding all-purpose custard
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the rack in the upper-third level. Spread half the cheese in the bottom of the pie shell, spread on the onions, and top with the remaining cheese. Beat up the custard briefly and pour it over the onions, filling the shell to within 1/8 inch of its rim if it's straight-sided, not much more than halfway if the shell is slant-sided and the sides seem at all fragile. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until filling is lightly puffed and nicely browned. For serving, slip the warm quiche out of its ring or pan and onto a serving board or platter, or serve from the pan cut into wedges.
Spinach Quiche:
Stem, wash, blanch, squeeze dry, then chop 10-oz. pkg. of fine fresh spinach. Saute' 2 tbsps. of shallots or scallions briefly in 2 tbsps. butter, add spinach, and stir over moderate heat for several minutes until very tender. Season carefully with salt, pepper, and a speck of nutmeg. Proceed to build and bake the quiche as described.
Shrimp Quiche:
Saute' 1 cup. of small cooked and shelled shrimp in 2 tbsps. butter for 1 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup. dry white vermouth and boil down rapidly for 30 seconds or so. Season with salt and pepper; proceed to build and bake the quiche as described.
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