Spring Green Quiche

The days are finally warming up, waking up our vegetable patch with a fresh batch of delicate sprouts and young shoots. A lovely sight as we anticipate the delicious harvests to come. My kitchen herb garden, planted close to the house for quick plucking, has been looking particularly vibrant and lush these past few days. This silky quiche, full of fresh herbs and tender chard, comes alive with verdant spring flavor.

Ingredients:

1 flakey crust, unbaked (recipe below)

2 spring Walla Walla onions, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 bunch rainbow chard

½ cup minced mixed fresh herbs (see notes)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of ground cayenne pepper or paprika

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

4 large eggs, plus 1 extra yolk

2 cups half & half

Pinch of ground nutmeg

4 ounces blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out one crust ⅛-inch thick and line a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp edges high and poke the bottom several times with a fork. Line crust with parchment paper and pie weights. Par bake crust for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove the paper with weights and bake additional 5 minutes till lightly golden. Set crust aside and reduce oven to 350 degrees.

While crust par-bakes work on filling. Wash and drain the chard. Remove stems and set green leaves aside. Chop the stems about the same size as the onions. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions with chopped chard stems, and sauté until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the coriander, cayenne, and season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stack chard leaves on cutting board and thinly slice, then add to the pan with the onions. Continue to sauté for a couple of minutes until the greens are wilted soft, but still bright green. Add vinegar, scrape bottom of pan and sauté for another minute until cooked off. Taste and adjust seasoning, then take pan off heat.

Next, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with the half & half, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (¾ teaspoon if using table salt), ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and the nutmeg. Whisk in the herbs, until fully combined. Arrange cheese evenly over the bottom of crust and then top with the wilted chard mixture. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the top, making sure it completely saturates the fillings. For color, sprinkle a pinch of cayenne over the top.

Gently, place quiche on middle rack of 350-degree oven, on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Quiche will be done when top is golden, and center is just set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If crust starts to brown too much you can cover the edges with foil. Remove quiche and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Flakey Tart Crust

(Makes two crusts. Use one and freeze the other for later):

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes.

Prepare a ½ cup of ice water. Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut butter into the flour, until incorporated into the texture of gravel, with some large pieces of butter remaining. Pour half the chilled water into the flour and mix gently with a fork, forming clumps. Add more of the water if needed until the dough just forms together. Divide dough in two, wrap each half in plastic, and gently press it into a disc. Let rest in the fridge for at least one hour.

Notes:

Get creative with your combination of fresh mixed herbs. This week I used a mix of chives, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, and parsley, all from my kitchen garden. Other lovely herbs to try in this recipe would be chervil, oregano, basil, or garlic scapes. The key is an abundance of fresh green flavors. If you can't find spring Walla Walla "salad" onions, you can substitute them with scallions or leeks.

If you are not a fan of blue cheese, you could substitute it with aged white cheddar or even a tart goat cheese. For the egg mixture, you could use heavy cream, half & half, whole milk, or any combination. Serve this for a weekend brunch, or a simple weeknight dinner, with a bright crisp salad on the side. Enjoy!