Crustless Onion Quiche with a Provencal Twist

This Provencal quiche is reminiscent of the flavors & ingredients in a French Pissaladiere, originating in the city of Nice and a very popular pizza found all over Provence and the South of France. The only thing missing is the crust. To quote Patricia Wells, “This beautifully golden crustless quiche makes a great Sunday night supper in front of the fire, served with a zesty tossed green salad and a glass of chilled white wine. I’ve also served it as a sit-down appetizer at a cocktail party.” I know it’s been extremely cold where many of you live and this quiche is a cozy winter dish that's very easy to make and comes together beautifully.

We made the Provencal version with the black olives and anchovies. The onions give the quiche a slightly sweet taste and the anchovies and olives offer a nice balance of flavors. Don’t be afraid of the anchovies. Drained and rinsed well several times takes away the anchovy's heaviness and strong flavors. Just to make sure, I changed the water several times.  I recommend using a full flavored yellow onion and personally I think a sweet onion, such as a Vidalia, would make the quiche a tad too sweet, but of course that's up to you.

I used a ceramic tart pan, but after I made the quiche, I found some pictures on Facebook here and it looks like Patricia used a spring form pan lined with aluminum foil when she made hers. I haven’t tried it that way so I can’t attest as to whether the liquid will leak out or not. A rasp is a fantastic tool for grating fresh nutmeg and powdered nutmeg doesn’t even hold a candle to the freshly grated.

I followed Patricia’s advice and served a tart arugula salad, a few grape tomato halves for a burst of color and a nice chilled glass of white wine alongside. I’ve included a recipe for my house French vinaigrette below, which has been a family favorite for many years. Don’t even think of buying salad dressings when it is so easy to make your own. Homemade vinaigrettes always taste far superior to store bought, can be made in seconds, and will keep for days in the refrigerator, so there’s absolutely no reason not to make your own.

Crustless Onion Quiche with a Provencal Twist
From Patricia Wells at Home in Provence – serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Unsalted butter for preparing the tart pan
1 pound onions, peeled (I used all purpose yellow onions)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, carefully stemmed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
4 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Provencal version directions below (optional but delicious & recommended)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of the baking dish/tart pan and set aside.

Slice the peeled onions in half lengthwise. Place, cut side down, on a cutting board and slice crosswise into very thin slices.

In a large unheated skillet, combine the onions, butter, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sweat the onion mixture over moderate heat, covered, until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes. They should not caramelize or turn brown. Taste for seasonings and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a medium-size bowl and whisk just to blend. Whisk in the milk and cream.

Transfer the onions to the prepared baking dish, smoothing them out with the back of a spoon. Pour the egg mixture over the onions. Season with additional pepper and nutmeg. Place in the center of the oven and bake until the top is deep golden brown and the custard is firm, about 30 minutes. To test for doneness, insert the top of a knife in the center of the quiche. It is done when the knife comes out clean. Do not under bake or the quiche will be mushy, not firm. Let sit for about 5 minutes to firm up. Serve the quiche warm, cut into thin wedges, with a zesty tossed green salad and a glass of chilled white wine.

Quiche before baking

Provencal version: To give the quiche a Provencal accent. just before baking, arrange eight rinsed and soaked (I changed their water several times) anchovy fillets in a pinwheel pattern on the quiche. Separate the anchovies with a pitted black olive.

My Carolina Kitchen’s House French Vinaigrette
By Sam Hoffer – serves 3 to 4
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon (or more to taste) Dijon mustard
½ tablespoon finely chopped shallots
A pinch of sea salt such as Maldon
A couple of grinds of freshly ground black pepper, plus more for finishing
French Fleur de sel sea salt for finishing

Place all ingredients except the fleur del sel in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until well blended. Vinaigrette will keep several days in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before using. Toss over fresh salad greens, then taste for seasonings and add a pinch or two of finishing salt such as French fleur de sel salt and a few more grinds of freshly ground black pepper.

For better viewing, click photos to enlarge.

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm and Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday.

From our kitchen to yours, we hope you have a great weekend.
Sam & Meakin

Roasted fingerling potatoes and herb green salad with house vinaigrette – a quick and easy lunch

Gourmet fingerling potatoes are in the markets right now so I decided to roast them in the oven and serve them with a fresh herb green salad for an easy, light lunch. I used red-yellow fleshed Idaho fingerling potatoes, but there are other varieties available. You can substitute any fresh herb for the rosemary, such as thyme or dill, or use dried herbs de Provence on the potatoes. For the salad I bought organic greens and made our standard house vinaigrette. 

It took less than 20 minutes from oven to table. This recipe serves two but could easily be increased for more people. We served it for lunch, but it could also be a substantial salad course at a larger dinner.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Baby fingerling potatoes, about 3 - 4 potatoes per person, depending on their size

Splash of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the fingerling potatoes in half lengthwise and place on a sheet pan, and then toss the potatoes on the sheet pan with extra virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Roast 10 – 15 minutes, until tender and brown. Remove from oven and serve with tossed herb green salad. Serves 2.

House vinaigrette with herb green salad 

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard 

Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco 

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Tiny pinch of sugar (optional)

Fresh herb salad greens, such as Earthbound organic blend, or mesclun mix for 2 people

For the vinaigrette, put the first 6 ingredients in glass top jar with lid and shake until well blended. 

Toss the greens with enough vinaigrette to moisten, season to taste with fleur de sel salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 2.

Organic Spring Mix Salad with Warm Brie in Puff Pastry and Georgia Pecans dressed with Sherry Nut Oil Vinaigrette and tossed with Fleur de Sel

Nut oils, such as walnut and hazelnut, make tasty vinaigrettes and are heart healthy. Here is a simple but sophisticated salad using nut oil vinaigrette tossed over an organic spring mix with warm brie in puff pastry as the centerpiece. By the way, the proper pronunciation for vinaigrette is vin-i-gret, not vin-i-gar-et that a couple of stars say on the Food Network. 

Nut oils contain heart healthy omega fats. Omega 9 is found in olive oil and hazelnut oil. Omega 3 and 6 are found in walnut oil and grape seed oil. A balanced intake of these oils can reduce the risk of cardiovascular related diseases. Make sure to store nut oils in the refrigerator as they can turn rancid quickly.

Spring mix salad with warm brie in puff pastry and Georgia pecans

Feel free to substitute walnuts for the pecans

4 frozen puff pastry shells, such as Pepperidge Farm 

6 - 8 ounce Brie cheese

1 (5.0 ounce) package organic spring mix salad greens

Toasted Georgia pecan halves

Sherry nut oil vinaigrette

Preheat the oven to 400. Place pastry shells on a baking sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes until partially baked but starting to lightly brown. Remove shell tops, place on baking sheet with the shells. Remove rind from Brie and cut cheese into four wedges. Place a wedge into each partially baked shell. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown and shells are completely cooked.  Toss spring mix greens with sherry nut oil vinaigrette, Fleur de Sel sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place pastry shells on individual plates, one per person. Distribute salad evenly around each shell and garnish greens with toasted pecan halves and a shell top if desired. Serves 4.

Sherry Nut Oil Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons peeled & minced shallots

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons hazelnut or walnut oil

2 tablespoons neutral tasting oil such as grape seed or canola 

Fleur de Sel sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put first four ingredients into a small jar and shake well to emulsify. Dress spring mix with vinaigrette, season to taste with Fleur de Sel and freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat. Do not overdress greens. 

We have always preferred kosher salt to ordinary table salt. Now gourmet chefs are beginning to appreciate the many varieties of available sea salts and how they enhance the flavors of food. They are called “finishing salts,” meaning they should be used at the end of cooking, as they can loose their flavors during the cooking process. Premier salts, such as Fleur de Sel, are known for their texture and the depth of natural flavor they bring to a dish. In our kitchen we use Fleur de Sel and gray sea salt for finishing salads. There are many finishing sea salts on the market today, including a variety of colors, such as the Maldon pink ones that Mario Batali prefers, grainy French grays, Hawaiian reds, and the white Fleur de Sel from the Camargue region of France. Salads dressed with coarse sea salt make them food for the gods.

Cranberries for Thanksgiving

Sugar and spice and everything nice add up to a new twist on some cranberry recipes for your Thanksgiving feast. These sauces are easy to make and vastly superior to the canned versions.

Serve left-over cranberry sauce over melted Brie cheese and accompany with toasted French baguette slices and a salad of mixed baby greens and nut oil vinaigrette.

For breakfast or with a cup of espresso in the afternoon, the yellow cranberry muffins are beautiful with the red berries.

Cranberry Sauce 
A citrus twist on a classic

1 (12 ounce) package of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
Grated zest of one orange
Juice of ½ orange
1 cup dry red wine, such as a Merlot or Syrah
¾ cup to 1 ½ cups sugar or to taste
Julienned orange zest for garnish (optional but recommended)

Mix all of the ingredients (except the garnish) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer about 15 minutes, until the cranberries have burst. Cool and remove cinnamon stick. Sauce will firm up as it cools. Can be refrigerated, covered for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature and garnish with the julienned orange zest if desired. Serves 6 to 8.

Cranberry Onion Relish
Great with a fried turkey

1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 (12 ounce) package of fresh or frozen cranberries
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan and place over medium high heat until hot. Add onions and garlic; sauté until tender. Add cranberries, sugar and water.

Bring to a boil. Cook 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Stir in the vinegar. Remove from the heat and store in an air-tight container. Can be refrigerated, covered for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Warm Brie & Cranberry Sauce with Baby Greens tossed with Nut Oil Vinaigrette
Here’s an idea on how to use left-over cranberry sauce. This was inspired by a recipe, Mache with Warm Brie & Apples, in Ina Garten’s latest book, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. Use either one of the cranberry sauces from above.

12 slices of a French baguette cut into ½ inch thick diagonal slices
12 ounces French Brie cheese, cut into 4 wedges
4 tablespoons cranberry sauce at room temperature
4 ounces mixed baby greens
2 tablespoons peeled and minced shallots
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral flavored oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

A handful of unsalted nuts, either pecan or walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the 4 wedges of Brie snuggly in one layer in a shallow baking dish.

Heat the nuts in a 10" non-stick skillet on the stove over medium heat. Toss constantly until lightly brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not burn. Set aside.

Toast the bread in a toaster oven or on a sheet pan in the oven at 350 until crisp. Set aside.

Make the vinaigrette by putting the shallots, sherry vinegar, walnut and canola oil along with salt and pepper in a small jar. Shake well to combine.

Bake the Brie for 3 to 5 minutes until it begins to ooze but not actually melted. Watch carefully, it can get away from you. While the Brie is baking, toss the baby greens with the vinaigrette and the nut halves. Divide the salad among 4 large salad plates.

Place a slice of warm Brie in the center of each plate and dress each slice with a tablespoon of cranberry sauce. Place 2 or 3 slices of toasted baguette on the other side of the Brie. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Cranberry Cornmeal Muffins

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
¾ cup plain nonfat yogurt
½ cup nonfat milk
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 large egg

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line twelve 1/3 cup muffin cups with paper liners (recommended for easier clean-up and a prettier presentation). Coarsely chop cranberries in a food processor or carefully by hand with a sharp knife. Set aside.

Combine flour and the next five ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk yogurt, milk, butter and egg in medium bowl to blend. Add to dry ingredients; mix just until combined. Fold in cranberries. Divide batter equally among muffin cups. Bake until golden and tester inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to rack and cool. Makes 12 muffins.

Happy Thanksgiving.