Spinach And Gruyere Quiches Food

SPINACH QUICHE

Steps:

• 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. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork (pricking about an inch apart). Bake until fully cooked and 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.) Don't worry if the crust cracks while baking; see my note below on how to fix it before proceeding. Set aside and turn oven down to 325°F.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the shallots until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper.
• Place the cooked pie crust on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of oven). Spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyere over top. Scatter the spinach evenly over cheese, breaking up the clumps as best you can. Pour the egg and cream mixture over top.
• Bake at 325°F degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until the custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
• Note: I usually defrost the frozen spinach quickly by placing it in a fine mesh strainer and running hot water over it. I then gather the spinach into a ball and squeeze it dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing and re-squeezing to get all the water out. Be patient...you need the spinach completely dry, otherwise your quiche will be watery.
• Note: Don't panic if your crust 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 place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
• Make ahead: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake 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. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.

SPINACH AND GRUYERE QUICHE

Steps:

• Crust: Pulse flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg and yolk with ice water. Add to flour mixture and pulse until moist crumbs start to form (no longer). Transfer mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and, using wrap and your hands, form into a disk (or 2 disks, if making 2 quiches in pie plates). Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Let sit at room temperature until pliable, then roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch springform pan, folding and pressing sides to an even thickness. (Or roll out 2 disks to 11-inch rounds and fit into 8- or 9-inch pie plates.)
• Trim edge of dough flush with top of springform pan. (If using pie plates, fold edges of dough under; crimp as desired.) Wrap in plastic; freeze at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line crust with parchment; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake, with a baking sheet on rack below, 20 minutes; remove paper and beans. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes (8 to 10 minutes, for pie plates). Let cool.
• Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Whisk eggs until smooth, then whisk in remaining ingredients until well combined.
• Pour custard mixture into cooled crust, stopping just short of top (if making in 2 pie plates, divide evenly between crusts). You may not need to use all of custard; be careful not to overfill. Press spinach into custard(s), leaving some poking out from top.
• Sprinkle with Gruyere. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees, then about 1 hour at 325 degrees. Let cool about 1 hour before serving.

GRUYERE AND SPINACH BAKES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Spray four 10-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Add the pancetta and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove the pancetta using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the shallots, salt and pepper in the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the cooked pancetta, shallots, bread, eggs, spinach, gruyere and milk until all the ingredients are moistened.
• Spoon the mixture into the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a small baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Cool the ramekins for 20 minutes. Using a paring knife, loosen the edges of the ramekins and unmold onto serving plates. Serve warm or at room temperature.

HAM AND GRUYERE QUICHE

Steps:

• Set a baking sheet on the middle oven rack; preheat to 425 degrees F. Scatter the ham and cheese in the pie crust. Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl; pour into the crust. Transfer to the hot baking sheet and bake until the eggs are set and the top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar and mustard in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Add the greens and mushrooms; toss well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the quiche into wedges and serve with the salad.

SPINACH AND GRUYERE QUICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium. Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add as much spinach to skillet as will fit; season with salt and pepper, and toss, adding more spinach as room becomes available, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer spinach mixture to a colander. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Divide spinach mixture and cheese between prepared crusts. Place each crust on a separate rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Dividing evenly, pour egg mixture into crusts.
• Arrange baking sheets on racks, and bake until center of each quiche is just set, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Let quiches stand 15 minutes before serving.

FLUFFY SPINACH, ONION AND ROASTED RED PEPPER QUICHE WITH GRUYERE

Steps:

• Blind bake your pie crust and let it cool.
• When crust is cool, spread Dijon mustard on bottom of the crust. Top with grated gruyere.
• Carmelize onions in olive oil. Add thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside. Spread onions on top of cheese layer.
• Chop fresh spinach and cook in frying pan with chopped roasted red peppers until wilted and starting to dry, set aside.
• Wisk together eggs, yogurt and baking powder. (Don't use a mixer.).
• Add spinach and roasted red peppers to egg mixture and pour over cheese layer.
• If you're feeling creative, decorate the top with some red pepper strips.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 55 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. You may want to protect crust edges with foil.
• Enjoy!

CARAMELIZED ONION, GRUYERE, AND SPINACH CRUSTLESS QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• With a little canola oil in a frying pan over medium high heat caramelize the onions, stirring occasionally. This takes about 15-20 minutes.
• Squeeze the moisture out of the thawed spinach by wrapping it in a dish towel and squeezing.
• Beat the eggs and add the milk and whisk well.
• Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper and a few grinds of fresh nutmeg.
• Spray or wipe oil all over a deep pie dish.
• When the onions are well caramelized, place evenly over bottom of pie dish then evenly spread the spinach over the onions and follow up with the cheese.
• Pour the egg mixture over the top and pop into the oven.
• Bake until firm in the middle, about 40-45 minutes.
• Serve with fresh fruit and popovers hot from the oven!