Johns Quiche Lorraine Food

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Blind bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. (If there are any cracks in the crust, see note below on how to patch them up.) Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Place the crust on a baking sheet to make it easy to move in and out of the oven. Bake on until lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it; if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate. (If it cracks while baking, see note below for instructions on how to patch it up.) Set aside and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
• In a medium nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg; whisk until evenly combined.
• Spread the shallots evenly over the bottom of the cooked crust. Top with half of the bacon, all of the Gruyère, and then the remaining bacon. Pour the egg/cream mixture over top.
• Slide the quiche (still on the baking sheet) into the oven and bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
• Note: Don't panic if your crust has cracks -- you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then proceed with the recipe. If the crust cracks while blind baking, patch it afterwards and place it back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: This quiche can be fully prepared up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and heat in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. After baking and cooling the quiche, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.

THE BEST QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• For the pastry crust: Pulse the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the flour looks like cornmeal. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 2 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse again.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight.
• Lightly flour a work surface, then roll the dough into an 11-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Center the dough in a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, with an even overhang of dough all around. Press the dough into the edges of the pan and the fluted sides. Roll the rolling pin over the top to cut off the extra dough (discard the extra). Poke the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Chill until completely cold, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Press a piece of parchment over the chilled crust, then fill with pie weights, raw beans or rice. Put the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is set and golden around the edges, about 40 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights. Return to the oven and bake until the crust is dry and slightly golden, about 15 minutes more. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Combine the butter, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely softened and all the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a separate medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
• When the onions have cooked for 30 minutes, add the bacon using a slotted spoon, then stir in 1 teaspoon of the thyme and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the onion mixture in the bottom of the crust and sprinkle with the Gruyere. Whisk together the cream, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the cream mixture over the filling in the crust and top with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Bake the quiche on the baking sheet until set and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Add up to 1 more tablespoon ice water, a little at a time, if necessary. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let soften 10 minutes. Unwrap the dough on a floured surface. Roll out the dough into an 11-inch round, lightly dusting with flour as needed and turning the dough occasionally. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges with your fingers. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, then refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Put on a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until golden brown in the center, 20 to 25 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Combine the butter, onion and a big pinch of salt in a medium skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. While the onion cooks, put the bacon in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the bacon to the pan with the onion, along with the thyme.
• Spread the Gruyère and onion-bacon mixture in the cooled pie crust. Combine the eggs, heavy cream, chives, nutmeg, cayenne and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Pour into the pie crust. Bake until the quiche is just set and lightly golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before serving.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• For the dough: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
• Pulse the flour and salt in a food processor to blend. Pulse in the egg yolks and butter. (Do not overmix.) Add the ice water through the top and pulse until the dough comes together and forms a loose ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface.
• Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll into a round, about 10 inches in diameter. Press the dough gently into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Ideally, there should be about an inch of excess dough hanging over the edge. Pinch the dough up to create a crimped edge. Place one sheet of parchment over the dough and fill with pie weights. Bake until lightly brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and let cool.
• For the quiche custard: Cook the lardons in a skillet until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
• Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, milk, nutmeg, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the cheeses.
• Place the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter three-quarters of the bacon over the shell, then pour the custard over the top. Bake until set and brown and bubbly on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with the remaining bacon and chives. Slice and serve.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a nine-inch pie plate with the pastry. By all means build a rim with the pastry and flute it. This is essential for the amount of custard indicated in this recipe.
• Cover the bottom of the pastry with a round of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or peas to partly fill the shell. Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. Remove and discard the beans and parchment paper and set the pastry-lined pie plate aside.
• Cook the bacon until crisp and remove it from skillet. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat remaining in the skillet. Cook the onion in the remaining fat until the onion is transparent.
• Crumble the bacon and sprinkle the bacon, onion and cheeses over the inside of the partly baked pastry.
• Combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste. Strain the mixture over the onion-cheese mixture. Slide the pie onto a baking sheet.
• Bake the pie until a knife inserted one inch from the pastry edge comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Let stand five or 10 minutes before serving.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry 6 chopped rashers of bacon for a minute or so until lightly cooked.
• Beat 5 large eggs, a 284ml carton of single cream and 150ml milk together with a fork then add 140g finely grated gruyère cheese, a generous grating of nutmeg and plenty of seasoning.
• Stir in half the bacon and carefully pour the mixture into the deep 24cm blind-baked pastry case then scatter over the remaining bacon.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is set, starting to turn golden and slightly puffed up above the pastry case.
• Allow to cool a little before removing from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a green salad.

ULTIMATE QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• For the pastry, put 175g plain flour, 100g cold butter, cut into pieces, 1 egg yolk and 4 tsp cold water into a food processor. Using the pulse button, process until the mix binds.
• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather into a smooth ball, then roll out as thinly as you can.
• Line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottomed, fluted flan tin, easing the pastry into the base.
• Trim the pastry edges with scissors (save any trimmings) so it sits slightly above the tin (if it shrinks, it shouldn't now go below the level of the tin). Press the pastry into the flutes, lightly prick the base with a fork, then chill for 10 mins.
• Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line pastry case with foil, shiny side down, fill with dry beans and bake on the hot sheet for 15 mins.
• Remove foil and beans and bake for 4-5 mins more until the pastry is pale golden. If you notice any small holes or cracks, patch up with pastry trimmings. You can make up to this point a day ahead.
• While the pastry cooks, prepare the filling. Heat a small frying pan, tip in 200g lardons and fry for a couple of mins. Drain off any liquid that comes out, then continue cooking until the lardons just start to colour, but aren't crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Cut three quarters of the 50g gruyère into small dice and finely grate the rest. Scatter the diced gruyère and fried lardons over the bottom of the pastry case.
• Using a spoon, beat 200ml crème fraîche to slacken it then slowly beat in 200ml double cream. Mix in 3 well beaten eggs. Season (you shouldn't need much salt) and add a pinch of ground nutmeg. Pour three quarters of the filling into the pastry case.
• Half-pull the oven shelf out and put the flan tin on the baking sheet. Quickly pour the rest of the filling into the pastry case - you get it right to the top this way. Scatter the grated cheese over the top, then carefully push the shelf back into the oven.
• Lower the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Bake for about 25 mins, or until golden and softly set (the centre should not feel too firm).
• Let the quiche settle for 4-5 mins, then remove from the tin. Serve freshly baked, although it's also good cold.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pastry-lined pie pan.
• Whisk eggs slightly, Beat in remaining ingredients.
• Pour mixture into pie pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Bake an additional 30 minutes.
• Quiche is done when knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
• Important--let stand 10 minutes before cutting.