Leek Quiche With Thyme And Lavender Food

CARAMELIZED LEEK QUICHE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch circle. Fit dough into a 10-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing into edges. Trim dough to a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold edge of dough over to create an edge that extends 1/4-inch above the pan. Lightly prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Chill until firm about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line bottom of dough with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are just beginning to turn golden, about 30 minutes. Remove parchment paper and weights; continue baking until lightly golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes more. Cool tart shell completely on a wire rack.
• Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks soften and begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bottom of the tart shell, top with cooked leek mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolk, milk, cream, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour mixture over leeks and cheese. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before serving, or serve at room temperature.

LEEK QUICHE

Steps:

• Cut away the root and dark green leaves from the leeks and cut in half lengthwise. Run under cold water to remove sand. If the leeks are very sandy soak them for 15 minutes or so, then run under cold water again. Drain on paper towels. If the leeks are very fat, cut the halves in half again lengthwise, then cut in thin slices.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil or oil and butter over medium heat in a lidded skillet or saucepan and add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring, until they begin to soften. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook gently until the leeks are very soft but not browned, stirring often, 10 to 15 minutes. If they begin to stick or brown, add a little more salt and/or a spoonful of water or wine. Stir in the garlic if using and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant.
• Beat together the egg yolks and egg in a medium bowl. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet to allow for easy handling. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the bottom of the crust and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Add salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper and the milk to the eggs and whisk together. Spread the leeks in an even layer in the crust. Sprinkle the cheese in an even layer on top. Pour in the custard filling. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until set and just beginning to color on the top.
• Remove from the oven and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

LEEK QUICHE

Steps:

• Unroll crust into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°., Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edges are golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 325°., In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks and mushrooms; cook and stir until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add sausage and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over crust. Top with sausage mixture and tomatoes. Whisk eggs, cream, sour cream, thyme, salt and pepper; pour over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese., Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with additional fresh thyme.

LEEK QUICHE WITH THYME AND LAVENDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Line shell with parchament paper and add 1/2 pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes then remove weights/beans and reduce heat to 325F and bake 8 minutes longer or until bottom is dry.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cheese over bottom of crust and bake 5 minutes longer until cheese is melted.
• Remove and cool.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet until foaming subsides. Add the leeks and saute for 5 minutes stirring until they are soft. Add the thyme and aaute for two more minutes. Stir in wine. Reduce heat to med and cook stirring for about 3 minutes until the liquid is gone. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
• In large bowl combine the eggs,cream, lavender, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.
• Stir in cooled leek mixture. Pour filling into the crust and bake for 35 minutes or until top has just set.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

MINI LEEK QUICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rinse the leeks in a bowl of water and strain. Set aside.
• In a skillet over medium heat, add the butter. When it is melted, add the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook until they are soft and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the thyme, and let cool to room temperature.
• Roll out each pie dough round onto a clean dry surface. Using a 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter cut 12 rounds from each dough. Gently press the rounds into each of the mini muffin tins to form mini crusts.
• In a large measuring cup, whisk the cream and eggs with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
• Fill each muffin cup with 1 teaspoon of the cooled leeks and top with 1 teaspoon of the cheese. Cover the filling with the egg and cream mixture. Place the muffin tins onto cookie sheets and put them into the oven. Bake until the egg mixture has set and the quiches are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack. Serve warm.

LEEK, MUSHROOM & GRUYèRE QUICHE

Steps:

• To make the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly. Add 8 tbsp cold water, then bring everything together with your hands until just combined. Roll into a ball and use straight away or chill for up to 2 days. The pastry can also be frozen for up to a month.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 25cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin (see picture, above left). Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• While the pastry is chilling, heat the butter in a pan and cook the leeks for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Then turn up the heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 mins more, then turn off the heat.
• Lightly prick the base of the tart with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until biscuit brown
• While the tart case cooks, beat the eggs in a bowl, then gradually add the cream. Stir in the leeks, mushrooms and half the cheese. Season, then tip the filling into the tart case. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, then bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden brown. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove and serve in slices.