Crustless Asparagus-Mushroom Quiche

During the “stay at home” orders, I have decided to work on a couple of new recipes that both my brother and I would enjoy. Knowing that he likes asparagus, one recipe I settled on was an asparagus quiche. I modified this recipe after reading through many online recipes. We both enjoyed it very much. 

EQUIPMENT 

Cutting board 
Chef’s knife

Large bowl 

Small bowl

Sauté pan or skillet

Rubber/silicone spatula or wooden mixing spoon

Hand grater or food processor

9” round pie pan

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUTE                                             INGREDIENTS FOR CUSTARD
1 T extra virgin olive oil                                                   5 large eggs, the best you can buy

1 cup finely chopped yellow or Vidalia onion                 ½ cup half and half or heavy cream 

1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms                                1 t mustard of your choice     

1.5 cups asparagus, ¾” lengths                                        8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1 t minced garlic                                                              ½ t sea salt

¼ - ½ cup minced parsley (optional)                                ½ t freshly ground black pepper 

¼ t madras curry powder (optional)

½ t dried thyme (or 1 t fresh)

Pinch sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

RECIPE

1.    Preheat oven to 350ºF with the oven rack in the center shelf. You may wish to place a baking sheet on the rack to prevent spills during cooking. 

2.    Prepare veggies. Using a chef’s knife, peel and dice the onion on the cutting board. Place the pieces in your mixing bowl. Bend a representative piece of your asparagus enough so that it snaps in two. Line the top of the piece up with the tops of the remaining uncut asparagus on your cutting board and slice all of the asparagus to the same length. You will use the top pieces for the quiche. Cut those into equal length pieces between ½ and 1” and toss those into the bowl with the onions. The woody bottom ends can be frozen for making soup later, composed, and even fed to your pets. My dogs love them (and get asparagus pee!). Finally, clean and dry the mushrooms. Slice them into 3-5 slices each and put the slices into your bowl.

3.    Sauté vegetables. Bring a skillet up to temperature over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add your veggies all at once with a pinch of salt. Stir frequently, ensuring that the veggies are not burning. If they seem to be burning or sticking, reduce the heat on your pan. Then, mince the garlic. Remove the parsley leaves from their main stalks, mince and then add both the garlic and parsley to your pan. (If you prepare your ingredients in advance, you will want the veggies to sauté for about 5 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients). Add the curry powder and thyme, ensuring you are not getting any stalks from dried or fresh thyme in the pan. You can rub dried thyme between your palms to crush any stalk pieces and release the essential oils. You can easily pull leaves off of fresh thyme by gently grabbing the bottom of the stalk and pulling upward. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions and asparagus are soft – about 10-12 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow the veggies to cool somewhat.

4.    Make the custard. Great the cheeses. 8 oz is about 1 standard block. It is best not to buy pre-grated cheese because those cheese are specially made to not stick together when packaged… they don’t melt well. Break open 5 large eggs and put the contents in your bowl. It is best to break them into a separate bowl and pour each individually into the larger bowl, just in case there is a problem with the egg. Beat gently until the yolks are mixed evenly through the eggs. Add the half and half, mustard, salt, and pepper, and thoroughly, but gently combine. Add the grated cheese in and mix to combine well. Finally, add the veggies and mix to combine well. 

5.    Bake the quiche. Lightly grease your pie pan (this is optional as I find this really does not stick to my pan) with oil or butter. Add your egg and vegetable mixture to the pie pan, using a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly. Place in the pie pan in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, checking for doneness at 40 minutes. To check for doneness, place a knife into the thickest part of the center. If it comes out clean, your quiche is done.

Once baked, allow the quiche to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with fresh fruit, a nice salad, or even a bowl of homemade tomato soup. Enjoy!

Cook’s notes: this can be made with any vegetables of your choice, although vegetable quiches are traditionally broccoli or asparagus. Make sure whatever veggies you use are nice and cooked, but not soggy. Let your creativity be your guide. 

Roasted Veggies

Delicious and super nutritious.

Idaho Potatoes, sliced
Carrots, sliced
Onions, diced
Parsnips, sliced
2 tbsp Oil
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
Italian herbs, dried
Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tbsp cumin
Jasmine rice
Broth, vegetable

Begin by cooking the rice in broth.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice veggies, and then throw into a bowl.  Cover the veggies with oil, salt and pepper, plus spices.  In another bowl, toss chickpeas with cumin, oil and salt.  Spread vegetables and chickpeas evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Cook for 22 minutes, flipping vegetables half way through.  Vegetables should be lightly brown, and chickpeas crunchy (some should have split already).  Lay rice on plate, and cover with chickpea and vegetable mixture.

Eggs in a Veggie Basket

Fried Eggs in a Pattypan Squash

Sitting around my house considering brunch, I looked at that single patty pan squash just that has been gathering dust for sometime on my kitchen counter.  Beautiful though it was, I decided to try something new.  Pattypan squash are light and cook well.  They are the small, broad flying saucer shaped squash that you see primarily used for decoration, which is a shame because they actually are quite good.

I stood looking at the squash and thinking about a fried egg and thought, hmmm… eggs in the hole (but more healthy for you).  So, I scooped it out and threw it in a sauté pan with olive oil and a touch of butter and began mincing.  This is a photo of the finished dish, and it was delicious was delicious.

The entire dish took under 10 minutes to make and each pattypan will serve one or two people depending on its size and how good you are with a knife.



EQUIPMENT
Sharp knife, with a minimum 6" blade
Tablespoon
Cutting Board
Straight sided saute pan with lid (the pan isn't too important, but the lid is).
A small bowl
Metal spatula

INGREDIENTS
olive oil, butter or fat of your choice
1 pattypan squash
1 Tbsp each of minced onion, garlic and red bell pepper
1/2 minced jalapeño pepper
Fresh grated pepper
2 organic, free-range eggs (yes, buy the best you can.  Even at $4.50 per dozen, it's less than a buck per serving)

Optional: crushed red pepper, oregano, grated cheese, parsley… anything that sparks your imagination.

METHOD
Using a very sharp knife, slice a thin layer off the bottom of the pattypan squash then use a sturdy tablespoon to scoop out the seeds from the center all the way through the squash.  Very carefully so as not to cut yourself and to cut evenly through the squash, slice the squash in 1/2-3/4" slices with the knife moving perpendicularly through the hole, so that the resulting slices are rings. You will safely get 2-4 rings depending on the size of the pattypan and your ability to cut straight.  You can use the remainder in soups, chili, or any stuffed squash dish.  Dice it and put it in the freezer until you are ready.

Now, heat your pan over medium-low (my settings go lo-6 and I had the flame on about 3).  When the pan is warm, add the olive oil and a touch of butter if you like.  When the oil begins to shimmer, add the squash slices and grind a little fresh pepper over the top to your taste.

While the squash is gently cooking, go ahead and mince your vegetables.  In about 4-5 minutes of sautéing, your squash should be slightly browned.  Toss the minced veggies into the pan and then turn over the squash carefully.  One by one, crack your egg into your small bowl, inspect for shells and then pour into the center of the patty pan until you have filled each.  Hey -- here's a tip -- crack your egg on a flat surface as opposed to on the side of your bowl to minimize the opportunity for shell to break off into the egg.

Sprinkle the top with your optional ingredients, cover the pan and allow to cook.  In 2-3 minutes, the egg will be cooked and the yolk will still run.  Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes if you prefer a firm yolk.  Remove from the heat onto your serving plate using a metal spatula.

Enjoy!

Curried Potato Leek Soup

This is my take on the wintry potato leek soup that warms the bones and soothes the stomach.  Hearty, delicious, vegetarian.  It would be equally delicious in a vegan version, simply eliminating the cream.

A note about preparing leeks:  Leeks are grown in sandy soil.  They need to be very well-cleaned to remove sand from between the layers.  Trim the dark green, bitter and thick tops and roots from the leek.  Reserve these frozen for making broth at a later date.  Slice the leeks lengthwise in half and then in about 1/2" rounds.  Put the leeks in a colander, and put the colander in your very clean sink filled with water.  Swish the leek slices around vigorously and then drain.  Repeat.  Repeat one time more than you think necessarily.  Drain as needed for your recipe.  There is little more unpleasant than biting in to a clump of sand in your soup or other dish.

INGREDIENTS
2T extra virgin olive oil and/or soy butter
1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 dried chilis
pinch of sea salt
2 cups white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sliced (blanched, freshly canned, fresh or frozen) carrots
3 leeks, sliced and well-rinsed
3 cups of potatoes, 1/2-1" dice
8 cups of liquid (4 vegetable broth, 4 water works well)
1T hot madras curry powder
1/2T oregano
zest of 1 lemon (optional)
1/2 cup lentils (red or green are fine)
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

OPTIONAL GARNISHES
chives, parsley or other fresh herb (sage is nice)
grated sharp cheddar cheese

RECIPE
Heat a heavy stock pot over medium until surface is hot.  Add your oil or soy butter and then add the chopped onion, garlic, dried peppers and pinch of salt (maybe 1/4 t). Cook, stirring frequently until the onions become soft and translucent. You might add a couple grinds of pepper at this point.

Now, turn the heat up to medium high and add your potatoes and mushrooms.  Mix them in and allow them to begin to sizzle.  Add the remainder of the ingredients (aside from garnishes of course) and bring to a boil.

As soon as your soup starts boiling, reduce the heat to a very light simmer and cook until everything is cooked through (about an hour).

If you choose the vegan version and leave the heavy cream out, once the soup is cooked through, you will want to remove and blend 2-3 cups of the soup to a puree and add back to the soup for a nice creamy consistency.

A COUPLE OF WORDS ON BROTHS:  use a high quality vegetable broth or one you make on your own.  It is easy to make your own broth and a great way to use vegetable scraps or vegetables that aren't so fresh and beautiful anymore.  If you aren't vegetarian and have access to a wonderful, organic chicken broth, that works very well here, just reduce the broth amount to 3 cups broth and 5 cups water. On a very interesting twist, I occasionally use a can of low-fat low-salt split pea soup and make the remainder of the liquid water.  You are developing so much flavor here, you can be very creative.  Note that many veggie broths have the first ingredient as onion (and will be oniony) and others are more balanced and the first ingredient is carrot.  In this recipe, either works well.

Once the soup is cooked, serve immediately, garnishing with chopped chives, parsley and maybe a sprinkling of cheddar cheese.  Enjoy!

A Delicious Vegetarian Whole Wheat Couscous

The trick to making good couscous is in flavors with which you hydrate the miniature grains. Many use broth, but vegetarian broths don't provide the umami (delicious savoriness) that is satisfying.  This recipe infuses the couscous with the flavors of late summer and serves as a wonderful base for a hearty light supper.

1 1/2 cups tomato juice (I use organic juice straight from my friends' farm)
1/2 cup water
1 heaping T sofrito (a cilantro pesto-type condiment)
2-3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1-2 cups of veggies to taste


Pour the couscous grains in a large bowl.  Bring the tomato juice, water, sofrito and garlic to a simmer. Pour over your grains and let steep for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.  Sofrito can be found pre-made in the Mexican part of your grocery.  You may also have friends who make a fabulous sofrito and are willing to share.  (I do make a wonderful sofrito, but the recipe was given to me as "top secret.")

As for veggies, I use what I have on hand.  It always includes sun dried tomato, red pepper, often green olives, lemon zest, mushrooms, onion, artichoke hearts, garbanzos, chopped parsely, frozen corn and/or edamame.  You certainly should heat the veggies if you like.  I'll often blanch them when I boil the corn and edamame, just to soften the taste. When in the mood, I top it off with a bit of grilled shrimp.

You will be amazed at how wonderful this is.

Summer Pasta Salad w/ Fresh Corn, Edamame and Heirloom Tomatoes

Here is a wonderful pasta salad fresh from a summer garden.  This recipe feeds four.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound whole wheat pasta
1 cup edamame, shelled (fresh or frozen)
1 cup sweet corn, (fresh or frozen)
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (if using canned, rinse well)
2 medium or one large heirloom tomato, chopped
1/2 cup red wine or sherry vinaigrette
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional:
a handful of fresh chiffonade basil
a sprinkling of shaved asiago cheese

RECIPE
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.  Once boiling add a healthy pinch of sea salt to and allow to come to a rolling boil.  The salt is essential as it raises the temperature of the water and allows the whole wheat pasta to cook well.  Add about 1/2 package of your preferred cut pasta.  Follow directions on packaging for cooking.  As the pasta just becomes al dente, add the corn and edamame.  When the water returns to a boil, strain.

While waiting for the pasta to cook, chop your tomato and rinse and drain your garbanzo beans if you are using the canned variety.  I prefer to make my own dressings as I need them and vinaigrette is easy and delicious as they come.  My basic vinaigrette recipe is here.

Put the tomatoes and garbanzos in a large mixing bowl.  Add the cooked vegetables and enough of the dressing just to cover everything.  Gently mix together and add freshly ground black pepper to taste.  This dish is best served at room temperature as the tomato and dressing have time to nicely infuse the pasta with their fabulous flavor.

It may be served immediately while the dish is hot, allowed to cool to room temperature or refrigerated according to your preference.  It is also terrific the next day.  Enjoy!

Egg and Shrimp Scramble

When I share a leisurely brunch with friends, a savory scramble is an easy, healthy and tasty go to dish.  This recipe is perfect for two served with a wonderful bread and fruit salad.  It can also be made omitting the shrimp, adding mushrooms or any other thing you like.   I also frequently make something similar with smoked Alaskan salmon and capers rather than shrimp and garlic.

INGREDIENTS
Extra virgin olive oil
Soy butter
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup grated zucchini
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 - 1/3 lb (about 10 31-40 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 eggs
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
zest of one lemon
freshly ground black pepper

PREPPING THE SHRIMP
Generally, I keep a bag of fresh-frozen raw shrimp in the freezer.  To thaw, pull out the number you need and put in a bowl of cold water, covering them well.  Exchange the water as needed as they thaw.  This usually takes 10-15 minutes.  Drain the water off the shrimp and peel the shells and, rather than discard, refreeze them in a baggie or container for use in broth-making.

When the shrimp are dry, chop them into small bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl.  Pour over enough olive oil to nicely coat your shrimp.  Add the garlic, lemon zest, and ground black pepper to taste.  Mix thoroughly and set aside.

COOKING THE DISH
Bring a sautee pan for which you have a lid to temperature over medium-low heat.  Add olive oil and soy butter (about a T of each).  Add the vegetables and gently sautee until softened.

Mix eggs gently into the shrimp-garlic mixture.

When you are ready to add the shrimp and eggs to the vegetables, turn the heat toward low if your pan is not heavy bottomed.  This keeps the scramble from getting watery and allows the shrimp to cook gently with the eggs.  Cover, mixing with a spatula gently every minute or so until the eggs are cooked and the shrimp is a nice pink color.

Serve with salsa or mole sauce. 

...AND THE LEFT OVER LEMON JUICE
Mix it with a T of honey and into a plain organic regular or Greek-style yogurt.  Use as a wonderful topping for fresh fruit.  If you have berries in the mix, it is surprisingly delicious to grind a bit of black pepper over the fruit salad!

Broccoli Slaw

A different take on the cruciferous delight.  And, yeah, a food processor will make this dish quick to make...and delish!

INGREDIENTS
Slaw
    stalks of 3-4 heads of broccoli, cut in 1 1/2 - 2 inch lengths
    1 medium or large carrot, cut in 1 1/2 - 2 inch lengths
    1/4 fennel bulb, chopped in 1 1/2 inch cubes (optional)
    1/4 celeriac, chopped in 1 1/2 inch cubes (optional)

Balsamic (or cider) vinaigrette
    1 T Course mustard
    1/3 cup vinegar
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1T hot sauce (I use my own recipe, but use what you like)
    pinch of sea salt
    coursely ground black pepper to taste

RECIPE
Clean and peel the broccoli, carrots, fennel and celeriac.  Make the slaw by grating the ingredients.  Use your hand grater, a food processor or even a knife will work.  Mix with your hands until the grated ingredients are combined.

Now make the vinaigrette.  It is really important for this vinaigrette to be pungent in order to taste good with the strong vegetables in the slaw. Wisk the ingredients together in a bowl until nicely emulsified.  Store the salad with a light coat of dressing.

Chopped parsley salad with asparagus and green apple vinaigrette

This is a very refreshing green salad and wonderful as you come out of any type of fasting for health reasons.  Onions have a very high glycemic index, and together with the apples will serve to make a nice, sweet dressing.  You do absolutely need a blender to make the dressing.

THE SALAD
3 cups chopped curly parsley (Italian will work, but curly adds a great texture)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup granny smith apples, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked bulgar wheat or whole wheat couscous (optional)
1 cup chopped, blanched asparagus

THE DRESSING (if you don't use alot of dressing, you may wish to halve this recipe)
3-4 small white onions, peeled and halved
1 granny smith apple, peeled (optional), quartered and cored
zest and juice from 1 lemon
1T poppy seeds
apple cider vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
course sea salt, pepper to taste

Chop your asparagus into 1-1/2 inch pieces.  Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside.  Blanche the asparagus by tossing it into a saucepan filled with water that is at a rolling boil.  As soon as the asparagus turns bright green, strain it from the water and pop it into the ice water.  Assemble the remaining salad ingredients and add the asparagus to the  mixture once it is cool to the touch.  Continue to cool by refrigerating the salad.

To make the dressing place the onions, apple, zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds in your blender.  Add a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Pour in enough vinegar up to about 1/2 inch from the top of the whole ingredients.  Pulse until combined; blend until nearly smooth.  Once smooth, remove the pour hole from the top of the blender and slowly pour olive oil in until dressing begins to thicken.  Taste for balance and add vinegar and oil until you are pleased with the flavor.   Mix lightly through the salad and enjoy. [I prefer to hand mix dressing into parsley salads so I can make sure the greens are nicely coated and not drenched].  Extra dressing can be refrigerated and used for up to 3 weeks.

Brunch-Inspired Salad Plate

Here's a wonderful, simple brunch plate for sharing.

1-2 sliced tomatoes
2 sliced hard boiled eggs
3-4 boiled new potatoes
grilled tofu or Italian sausage (I used vegetarian soy sausage)
vinaigrette salad dressing
fresh chopped oregano and lemon balm (whatever you have on hand will do)

Place your ingredients  on a plate and lightly dress with vinaigrette.  Sprinkle herbs over the top to taste.  I prefer serving this salad at room temperature.

Mediterranean Vegetable & Bean Bowl

Ingredients
Start With
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 Italian style sausages (I use Fields vegetarian, but you can use traditional or turkey sausage)
1 14 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 T lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)

Add Vegetables
1/2 cup kale or spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
8-10 unmarinated artichoke hearts, sliced in half (frozen or in water)
1 14 oz can garbanzo or cannelloni beans, rinsed well; dried and soaked are fine here
1/4 orzo, cooked

Herbs and Spices
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, basil (2 tablespoons fresh), crushed red pepper
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Assembly
Heat oil in large saute pan until it is hot. Slice sausages into 1/2" thick rounds and sear on each side in the hot oil. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup of water and sliced garlic. Slicing the garlic gives it a more mild flavor than mincing, but increases it's heat. Add lemon zest.

Bring water to a boil for the orzo. Add 1/4 cup orzo to the boiling water and allow to cook in a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Add the herbs and spices, then the remaining vegetable ingredients. Of course, feel free to choose; whatever you have on hand. (My basic go-to for this are beans and artichoke hearts).

Drain and transfer the orzo to the sauce to finish cooking. Simmer everything together for 5 or 10 minutes. You may top lightly with your favorite hard cheese.

Optional Change: For a nice pasta dish, omit the orzo and serve over whole wheat linguine.