Brunch
January 19, 2008
I've been playing with this versatile, easy recipe that's rich enough to satisfy a crowd and, if there are leftovers, it's even better the next day. It's fine with just mushrooms, or add sun-dried tomatoes to give it a bite. The cheese makes its own delicious browned crust. (This is not quivery like a quiche, since there's no milk or cream in it.)
You might add scallions or leeks, substitute (lightly steamed) broccoli for the spinach, or use 1/2 pound of cheddar and 1/2 pound of other cheeses (leftovers from your cheese plate). Double the spinach if you want it to be more like a spinach pie. Feel free to improvise -- the cheese will hold it all together.
Spinach & Cheese Squares
1 lb fresh baby spinach
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms or 4 oz. fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 tablespoons melted butter
6 eggs, beaten
16 ounces cottage cheese or ricotta
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese (or half Cheddar and half other cheeses), coarsely grated
1/4 cup sherry wine (optional)
Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drain spinach well; the drier the better.
Photos / Sheila Lennon
Bring about 2 cups of water and sherry to a boil in a saucepan and add the dried mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. Blanch for 2-3 minutes, then let sit for at least 10 minutes to absorb the liquid. Drain.
In a heavy soup pot large enough to fit all the spinach, sauté onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter till translucent.
Add spinach, stirring it down till it wilts, then drain. Add mushrooms and sundried tomatoes, eggs, cottage and cheddar cheeses, flour and the remaining butter and mix. Season with pepper.
Pour into prepared dish and bake for 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10.
Note: Use more water and sherry when reconstituting the mushrooms if you want to spin off a flavorful addition to soup. I've added the excess sherry-mushroom water to overly-carroted turkey soup and it cut the sweetness, much improving it.
Posted by Sheila Lennon 
at 8:46 AM | Permalink
December 27, 2007
This quiche is an entire meal with chicken, veggies, potatoes, cheese and crust.
Country Quiche with Idaho Potato Hash Brown Crust
For Crust:
1-1/2 cups Idaho Russet potatoes
1/4 cup peeled & minced onions
1/4 seeded & diced cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup seeded & diced green bell pepper
1 beaten whole egg each
2 tsp. chopped parsley
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp. shredded mozzarella cheese
For Quiche
1/4 cup peeled & chopped onions
1-1/2 cups cooked & diced chicken breast
1 cup half & half
4 whole eggs each
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
6 sliced tomatoes each
For Crust:
Coat 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray or oil. Mix all ingredients together except Mozzarella. Press evenly into pan and up sides. Bake shell in preheated 375°F oven 10-12 minutes. If the edges start to brown, cover with foil.
Pull shell from oven. While it’s hot, sprinkle and spread Mozzarella evenly on crust. Place back in oven just until cheese melts (about 2 minutes). The crust has a tendency to stick to the pan, so run a small knife around the edges of the crust to loosen.
For Quiche:
Sprinkle onions over shell. Add chicken. Mix half & half, eggs, salt & pepper, mustard and nutmeg together and blend well. Pour mixture into pie crust. Top with Swiss cheese.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted into middle of pie comes out clean.
About 5 minutes before pie is done, place the tomato slices evenly on the pie.Continue baking.
Cool pie slightly, and cut into eighths.
Top with sour cream, hollandaise or cheese sauce.
Recipe compliments of Chef Lou Aaron, Westside Catering. From the Idaho Potato Commission.
Posted by Gail Ciampa at 9:00 AM | Permalink
