It's a rainy Sunday in New York City this morning and there's nothing better than brunching it up at home from time to time. I love, love, LOVE, to cook, especially when it has anything to do with eggs and/or breakfast/brunch. Over the past couple of years, I've made more of an effort to healthier eating and honing in on my cooking skills. One of my all-time favorite go-to brunch meals is quiche. What I love about quiche is not just the delicious combination of flaky crust with creamy, cheesy eggs, but the fact that it can be eaten during any meal, even dinner! Quiche is the perfect addition to any meal, whether morning, afternoon, or at night, it can be enjoyed whenever! It's also a great and quick leftover meal. Always a plus in my hungry book. ;)
Leek, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
9” prepared pie crust
for the filling
2 small leeks, trimmed, washed, and thoroughly cleaned
2 cups sliced mushrooms, brushed clean with stems removed
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup whole milk
1 cup Gruyère, grated
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay out the pie crust in a 9” pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Adjust oven's temperature to 375 degrees.
In a medium skillet heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 7 minutes, or until the leeks are slightly translucent and have browned on the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have released some of their juices.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs, sour cream, and milk in a medium bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables (minus any released water), and stir. Add the Gruyère and stir. Place the quiche shell onto a rimmed baking sheet, gently pour the egg mixture into the shell. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or just until the quiche has set up in the center.
Cool for 15 minutes, slice, and serve.
What's also great about quiche is it can be made through all seasons. During the colder parts of the year, I love creating more hearty quiches. However, my favorite time of the year to make quiche is through the spring and summer seasons. I love accompanying quiche with a light mesclun salad, with tomatoes, red scallion, and balsamic vinaigrette. Did you know that these types of mesclun salads were originated in Provence, France? My love for leafy, greeny salads is derived from working at a coffee shop while in college, where they made the most delicious sandwiches paired with mesclun salads. What I loved most in their salads were their pickled red onion and mushrooms. Total, mind-blowing deliciousness.
The quiche I made consists of button mushrooms, leeks, and Gruyère cheese. I normally make a spinach and mushroom quiche with feta cheese, but I wanted something a little more in tune with the spring/quickly-approaching into summer - season. Plus, who doesn't like Gruyère cheese?! It tastes a lot like Swiss cheese but stronger. It really complemented well with the leek and mushroom combo. And I always like to mix in tomato with egg. These together is heaven in my mouth! What's your favorite pairing with eggs? Avocado? Salsa? Just good ole' cheese? Lastly, I usually make my own crust, but it's Sunday, it's raining cats & dogs, and I'm feeling slightly too cozy to have rolled out some dough this morning. Ha ha! But the store bought kind, is always a good substitute, should you be feeling like I am. #LazySunday Enjoy!