Quintessential Classic Quiche Lorraine Food

CLASSIC QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp; transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate using a slotted spoon; let bacon drain.
• Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from pan.
• Add in onion and shallot; stir/saute for 5 minutes or until tender; stir in parsley.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; add in onion mixture and bacon; stir to combine.
• Sprinkle cheese over the bottom of the pie shell.
• Pour egg mixture over all.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean (cover pie crust edges as appropriate if become too brown).
• Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

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.

CLASSIC QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
• Pastry:
• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the egg-yolk and sufficient iced water to bind the ingredients.
• Knead the dough lightly, and then chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes. (I always cover the pastry with clingwrap).
• While pastry is 'resting',
• Melt half the butter in a frying pan and cook the bacon pieces gently until lightly coloured.
• Put the cream and eggs in a bowl and whisk together. Add the grated nutmeg and seasoning.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a buttered 23cm/9 inch loose-bottomed flan tin. Prick the base of the flan with a fork.
• Sprinkle the cooked bacon pieces over the base of the pastry case and dot with the remaining butter.
• Pour in the cream and egg mixture.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown.

AUTHENTIC QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Sift flour with 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1 stick chilled butter. Mix by hand (use your fingers) until it forms into little chunks about the size of large grains of rice.
• Fork 1 egg yolk with 2 tbsp cold water. Combine with dry ingredients and work by hand until it forms a large ball of dough. Add up to 1 more tbsp of cold water if needed.
• Wrap in plastic-wrap and let sit in a cool place 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400. Roll dough until big enough to place in a 10" tart pan.
• Grease tart pan before placing dough in it. Gently move dough to tart pan. Do not stretch it. Trim as needed and use trimmings to patch any tears that may have developed.
• Prick pastry with a fork. Line with foil, shiny-side down, and fill with a little dry rice or beans to ensure that the foil stays in place. Bake 10 minutes.
• Remove rice or beans. Remove foil. Bake 5 minutes more. Allow to cool.
• Reduce oven heat to 300.
• Fry bacon in 1 tbsp butter.
• In a large bowl mix 4 eggs with the cream. Mix thoroughly but do not beat or whip. Stir in bacon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Ensure that oven temperature has dropped to 300. Bake 25-30 minutes. Best when served immediately, as it cools quickly.