I wanted to share another great recipe from one of my all-time favorite chef’s, Jenn Segal with an extensive offering of recipes on her site, Once Upon a Chef
This time I decided to make her spinach quiche. Quiche is not anything new but there are many variations so it’s fun to try different recipes and even put your own spin on it. It is also an easy dish to make ahead and is freezer friendly.
Her recipe calls for heavy cream & Gruyere which gives this rich spinach quiche its french flair. The French love their cream, butter, eggs, cheese, bread… need I least mention the wine! Yum to all and in moderation they are all worth enjoying.
Serves: 4-6
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the pie crust from the freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork ( pricking about an inch apart). Bake until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it, if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate.) Set aside and turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the shallots until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt & cayenne pepper.
Place the cooked pie crust on a baking sheet ( this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven). Spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyere over top. Scatter spinach evenly over cheese, breaking up the clumps as best you can. Pour the egg and cream mixture over top.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes until the custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
NOTE: I usually defrost the frozen spinach quickly by placing it in a fine-mesh strainer and running hot water over it. I then gather the spinach into a ball and squeeze it dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing and re-squeezing to get all the water out.
Make ahead: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300° oven for 35-45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
Freezer Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300° oven until hot in the center.
Bon Appetit!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 9″ deep dish frozen pie crust * you can also make your own crust if you prefer
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 4 large eggs
- 1-1/4 cups heavy cream
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup (4 oz.) finely shredded Gruyere, packed
- 1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung free of water (I recommend a fine sieve and/or using cheesecloth)
