quiche
lorraine
​
1 9" pie shell
6oz bacon
1/4 of a vidalia onion
1tsp thyme leaves
3oz Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese
1tsp grated Parmesan
4 eggs
1/2c whole milk
1/2c heavy cream
3/4tsp kosher salt
1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4tsp nutmeg
1/4tsp Tabasco
ingredients
yield: 6 servings
active time: 20 minutes
passive time: 40 minutes
course: breakfast
​
a rich, fluffy, and delicate classic French breakfast tart
​
1. Preheat your oven to 400F. Line the inside of your pie shells with parchment paper and fill the shells about halfway with dried beans or peas. This ensures the pie shell doesn't rise during the blind bake process (pro tip: get the parchment a little wet, then crumble it up into a ball. Flatten it back out, and now it's much easier to mold to any shaped container). Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Turn the oven down to 375F.
​
2. Prepare your ingredients: slice your bacon into lardons, julienne your onion, and dice your cheese into 1/4" cubes.
​
3. Add your bacon to a stainless steel pan over medium heat. Cook until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the fat behind.
​
4. Add your onions and 1/4tsp of salt to the pan (if you didn't get enough fat from the bacon to lightly coat all the onions, add a bit of butter or oil). Sauté for about 10 minutes to caramelize the onions. If they begin to brown or get crispy, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add 1/2tsp of thyme halfway through.
​
5. Prepare your quiche by filling the shells with the bacon, onions, both cheeses, a 1/4tsp of pepper and the remaining thyme. Doing this before adding the egg mixture allows for an even distribution of all your ingredients.
​
6. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, remaining pepper, nutmeg, and remaining salt. Whisk gently until the eggs are incorporated into the liquids. Add the Tabasco and stir to combine.
​
7. Strain the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pie shells, distributing evenly between both shells.
​
8. Carefully transfer your quiche to the oven and back for 30-40 minutes. There internal temperature of a fully cooked quiche is 160-165F.
process
Listen, I’M SORRY I didn’t make my own pie crust. I promise I’m a real chef! I simply didn’t have the time, and I think that’s okay. But if you do have the time, you should make your own because it’s fun and totally worth it. Here’s the king’s recipe.
​
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, can we all agree that the French have done wonderful things for breakfast? For example: croissants, crêpes, QUICHE… Those guys just can’t be beat. There’s a French café near Boulder called Jeannot’s, and it’s currently my favorite restaurant. The owner/executive chef was raised in Provence and has many culinary accolades, so it’s safe to say he knows what he’s doing. His pastries, tarts, and choux are gorgeous and incredibly delicious. I might have had the best croissant of my life at Jeannot’s.
​
Now, not to brag, but the texture of this quiche comes out very similar to the quiche I had at Jeannot’s — which means it’s very good, and it’s a recipe I’m very proud of.
​
The cheese in this recipe plays a very important role, so I strongly advise you to splurge on the high-quality stuff. I love the nutty creaminess of Jarlsberg, but Gruyère or any variation of Swiss would be just as delicious.
​
For those of you who try to stay away from carbs, skip the pie crust! Line any sort of ovenproof container with parchment and follow all the same steps. You could even make this recipe in a muffin pan, freeze them, and have egg bites ready every morning — all you have to do is pop them in the microwave. If you’re vegetarian, swap the bacon for spinach and make it a Quiche Florentine. Throw the spinach in the pan with the onions when they’re just about done. Sauté for a minute or two, and proceed as the recipe’s written.
​
This quiche is great to have for breakfast because of how light and delicate it is. It’ll fill you up with all the protein you need to start the day without weighing you down. This recipe includes the traditional fillings for a Quiche Lorraine, but you can certainly use it as a way to use up any leftover meat or produce hanging out in your fridge. I’m throwing in some sautéed mushrooms next time I make it.
​
Thank you so much for reading. Please enjoy!​