It won't be long before Ontario asparagus hits the market. If any of you follow my food pattern (fresh produce means crazy bulk buys as each new thing returns to the market) you'll soon be looking for interesting ways to use up that asparagus! If you are in that situation you won't go wrong with this amazing quiche from Elise at Simply Recipes.
We made this after Easter and used some of the leftover ham that we had on hand. Of course all of those old cliches were uttered . . . real men dont eat quiche and other such foolishness. Truth is real men eat whatever the hell is put in front of them and tastes amazing - like this!
Asparagus and Ham Quiche
1/2 recipe pie dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
10 ounces asparagus spears, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch long pieces
1/2 pound ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 10-by-1 1/2-inch round tart pan (with or without a removable bottom), pressing dough into corners. Transfer to freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line pastry with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil, pressing into the corners and edges. Fill at least two-thirds with baking weights - dried beans, rice, or aluminum pie weights. Bake first for 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Carefully remove parchment paper and weights. Poke the bottom of the pie pan with the tongs of a fork and return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden. (Fork holes are for any air to escape.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making filling.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not brown, about 1 minute. Add asparagus. Cook, stirring frequently, until asparagus are just cooked (al dente), slightly browned, firm, not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Place tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any run-off there might be (especially if you are using a pan with a removable bottom.) Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. Spread asparagus and ham over the cheese and then top with remaining cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, and eggs. Season with fresh ground pepper. Pour over cheese. Transfer to oven, and bake until just set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Too funny Jerry, real men do eat whatever they like:D
Posted by: bellini | April 27, 2012 at 09:10 PM
Looks good...any of the real men here would be more than happy to eat that quiche!
Posted by: Kayte | May 05, 2012 at 09:03 PM
Yup - I agree, any real men and women eat healthy, tasty food. Stereotypes bedamned!
Posted by: JDeQ | May 06, 2012 at 05:48 PM