Quiche Maraîchère

One of the most incredible sights is the farmer's market at the end of August. The stalls are bustling with people and overflowing with abundant produce. Even in light of the dry and parched fields which surround us, the bounty is no less sweet. It is at this time that I get excited about trying new things - new ingredients that don't regularly appear on my shopping list - and new recipes for my family. Last week, one of the farmers who has never steered me wrong had the most delicious looking Swiss chard I had ever seen. The greens were crisp and enormous and the red stalks were sharp and enticing. I snatched one up, added it to my bag, and was excited about where I would use it.

Until I got home. And had no idea what I was going to do with it. I have a few wonderful soup recipes with Swiss chard, ones that allow for stretching a few extra days out of wilting produce. But the temperature hit 84 degrees. I wasn't making soup. However, after flipping aimlessly through my binder, I came across this quiche recipe. Maraîchère, according to the recipe, translates to "produce" or "market garden." And it called for Swiss chard! Hurray! And what made it all the more exciting was that, since quiche does well at room temperature or briefly reheated in a warm oven, it could be made in advance and ready after a busy day of doctors appointments and A's book club, which is where I found myself last night. If you don't have Swiss chard, fear not. ANY green vegetable will do (spinach? sliced Brussels? Sauteed broccoli? GO FOR IT!) 


You need:

1 large leek, or 3 small, trimmed and sliced (only white and light green parts)*
1 tbsp. butter
1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1 c. shredded cheddar or Gruyere cheese
1 9-in pie shell **
salt

Preheat your oven to 350. Heat the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Saute the leeks with a pinch of salt until they begin to soften, about 3 min. Add the Swiss chard with another pinch of salt and continue to saute 5 more minutes, until the chard has wilted completely. Remove from heat and cool slightly. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the milk and the cheese. Spoon the cooled vegetable mixture into the pie shell. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Place a thin cover of aluminum foil just around the edges of the pie crust (but NOT over the egg and vegetable mixture) - this will keep the crust from getting too brown during the cooking process. Bake for 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a side salad and some crusty bread.


* A word on leeks - if you don't usually cook with leeks, you aren't aware of how truly dirty they are. Imagine the dirtiest, sandiest, grainiest lettuce you've ever purchased, and then add even more dirt and sand. I liken leeks to a toddler after a day at the beach. Just when you think you've gotten it clean, more sand shows up in the most unexpected places. As a result, take good care when cleaning them. Peel each layer and clean individually. It might not make for the prettiest (or most efficient) slicing, but it makes for clean food. We eat enough sand all summer long, do we not? 

** This recipe calls for an already cooked pie shell, but I find them a wasted purchase. They don't store or freeze well. I keep 8-10 packages of ready made pie crust in my freezer all the time. They thaw quickly and you can make so many dishes with pie crusts. However, if you're going to use a ready made pie crust (or be even more adventurous and make your crust from scratch), be sure to pre-bake your crust (350 for 15 minutes) before you add the filling for the quiche. 

Recipe inspired from Kiwi Magazine