Quiche and Tell

When Ellipsis opened at 1502 South 3rd Street last year, the idea was for it to be aunique and cozy venue for food and beverage events.

Quiche Lorraine was a key dish in its early days, says MARGOT ROBISON, corporate executive sous chef at Ellipsis, which is part of the We Are True Blue brand.

“I chose to feature Quiche Lorraine because it is very special to the Ellipsis journey,” she says. “Our featured Champagne Jazz Brunches were one of the first things to go on our calendar and have remained a staple since we opened our doors. … The Quiche Lorraine has been a crowd favorite and a recipe I often cook at home for loved ones. It is a great dish to give in both time of celebration and grieving – it is a quintessential recipe to have on hand.”

SHELL

INGREDIENTS

2 c flour, plus a little more for rolling

1 tsp kosher salt

8 oz (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

¼ c ice water

2 tbsp canola oil

DIRECTIONS

Place 1 cup of the flour and the salt in the bowl of a mixer or a standard mixing bowl. Slowly add cubes of butter and incorporate butter into flour – use your hands to massage the butter into the flour. Try your best to eliminate all clunks of butter.

Add the water a little at a time and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to collect together. The dough should be shaggy and not too sticky.

Remove the dough from the bowl and onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by hand to eliminate all chunks of butter until a firm dough ball is formed.

Lightly brush the inside of your spring form with canola oil. Place the dough on a floured work surface and rub on all sides with flour. Roll dough out until it is ¼-inch thick (yes, this is a fairly thick crust) and about 14 inches in diameter.

Carefully lift your dough and place over your spring-form pan. Let it fall to the bottom of the pan and guide the dough to fit the inside of the spring form. Don’t worry about the edges draping over the sides of the pan – leave these.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line the quiche shell with a round of parchment paper. Fill the shell with pie weights or dried beans, gently guiding the weights into the corners of the shell and filling the shell completely. Bake the shell until the edges of the dough are lightly browned but the bottom is still light in color, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove your half-baked shell and let cool.

FILLING

INGREDIENTS

2 c sauteed leeks

¾ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 tsp fresh thyme

2 c whole milk

2 c heavy cream

6 large eggs

1 tbsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper

1½ c grated comte or gruyere cheese (plus more for topping)

DIRECTIONS

Saute the bacon in a nonstick pan over medium heat until the bacon is slightly browned and most of the fat is rendered. Add leeks, salt, pepper, and thyme and saute until all flavors are combined. Remove from heat and drain on a towel.

Combine the milk and cream in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Combine eggs, salt, pepper, and cheese and whisk thoroughly. Slowly add your heated cream mixture egg mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. Once incorporated, add your drained bacon, onion, and herb mixture. Reserve a little for the top of the quiche. This will be your custard mixture for the inside of the quiche.

Scatter some of the cheese onto the bottom of your baked quiche shell. Add half of your custard mixture, then more cheese, then the remaining of your custard mixture. Top with more cheese and bacon mixture.

Bake your quiche at 375 degrees for 90-120 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard center jiggles when moved. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Cut off the leftover crust edges around the spring form, and carefully release the sides of the spring form. Remove quiche from pan. Slice as desired.

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