Spinach Shallot And Gruyere Quiche Food

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.

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.

SHALLOT-MUSHROOM QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, fold overhang under, and crimp edge. Place a sheet of parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edge is dry and light golden, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Add shallots, mushrooms, and cheese and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk to combine, pour into crust, and bake until center of quiche is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

MUSHROOM SPINACH QUICHE

Steps:

• Blind bake the pie crust per package instructions. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool while making the filling.
• Adjust oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring, until translucent but not brown.
• Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms release their liquid and then liquid evaporates and mushrooms are dark golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Grate the garlic into the mushrooms and cook for one minute more.
• Add spinach and cook until wilted but still bright and vibrant green.
• Place pie pan on a baking sheet - this will catch any runoff there may be during baking.
• Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust.
• Spread mushrooms, shallots and spinach over the cheese and top with remaining cheese.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, and eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, to taste.
• Pour over cheese and mushroom spinach mixture.
• Transfer the quiche to the oven; bake until just set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

SPINACH QUICHE

Steps:

• Beat eggs; add cream, then beat again.
• Wash the spinach under water, and remove all the stems, piling the wet spinach into a large pot, adding no water.
• Cook over medium heat, turning and stirring, for 5 minutes; then drain thoroughly in a colander, squeezing the spinach dry.
• Take a pair of kitchen scissors and snip the drained spinach into tiny pieces.
• Season the spinach to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line pie pan with pastry or crust; place spinach in crust, top with grated cheese, add cream, sprinkle with mace, then dot with small bits of butter.
• Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes or until domed and light brown.
• Cool 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

CREAMED SPINACH WITH GRUYERE

Steps:

• Coat a large, straight-sided saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper and cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Remove the garlic and discard.
• Add half of the spinach to the pan, season with salt and saute until gently wilted. Remove the spinach from the pan to a towel-lined colander set inside a bowl to let the spinach drain and cool. Repeat the process with the remaining garlic and spinach and another pinch of crushed red pepper. Squeeze the towel to remove most of the liquid from the spinach.
• Remove any liquid from the bottom of the saute pan and coat lightly with olive oil. Heat the oil over medium heat, add the shallots and season with salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Saute until the shallots are translucent and very aromatic, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the butter and, when melted, stir in the flour. Cook until it is the texture of wet sand, 5 to 6 minutes. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Taste for seasoning and season with salt, if needed, (it will). Bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally so the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom. Stir in the Gruyere and Parmigiano until melted. Add the reserved spinach and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with a sprinkle of Parmigiano and serve.

SPINACH, SHALLOT, AND GRUYERE QUICHE

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.