Swiss Onion Tart

This tart, uses a salty, smoky ham known as speck, a traditional ingredient in this tart; bacon is a good substitute. It makes a great entree for lunch or a light supper. It can also be cut into squares and served with cocktails.

Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1⁄2 cups flour
1⁄2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

FOR THE FILLING:
3 oz. speck or bacon, finely chopped
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1⁄2 lbs. white onions (about 3), finely chopped
Kosher salt to taste
1⁄2 cup milk
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
3 oz. grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation:
1. Make the crust: Pulse flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until pea-size pieces form. Add 1⁄4 cup ice-cold water; pulse briefly. Transfer dough to a floured work surface; form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 425°. Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Roll dough into a 13" circle; transfer to an 11" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing into bottom and sides. Trim excess dough; chill for 30 minutes. Prick bottom of dough with a fork; cover bottom with a sheet of parchment paper; fill with dried beans. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans; bake until crust is light brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

3. Meanwhile, make filling: Cook bacon in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat until crisp, 7–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate. Discard bacon fat; add butter. Add onions and season with salt; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Uncover; cook until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Let cool.

4. Whisk milk, cream, and eggs in a bowl; add reserved bacon and onions along with cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour filling into tart; place on a baking sheet. Place tart in oven and reduce heat to 400°. Bake until filling is golden brown and set, 45–50 minutes. Transfer tart to a wire rack to let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Broccoli & Roquefort Quiche

Ok, so Broccoli isn't our favourite food but I do like to serve it for dinner from time to time just for a change. Here is a version that has meet family approval.

Ingredients: (6 persons)
For the filling
100 gr of cooked broccoli flowers
1 small carrot (100gr)
2 eggs
1 dl of milk
50 gr of Roquefort

For the shortcut crust (it also works with a ready-made good quality pie crust)
100 gr of wheat flour
100 gr of rice flour
100 gr of butter
½ tea spoon of herbes de Provence
½ tea spoon of salt

Preparation:
1.) Sieve the three flours, and cut up butter in a salad bowl. Add herbs and salt.
2.) Mix with your fingertips in order to obtain a sandy texture.
3.) Pour 1/2 dl of water.
4.) Knead lightly. Pick up the dough in a ball, wrap it in plastic film and allow to sit for 30 min in the refrigerator.
5.) Wash and grate the carrot.
6.) Cut the Roquefort into small cubes.
7.) In a salad bowl, whip the eggs with the milk. Salt and pepper. Add the carrots.
8.) Rollout the shortcut pastry dough and apply it in a tart dish.
9.) Spread the garnish of carrots, broccoli and diced-up Roquefort.
10.) Let cook for 30 minutes in a 180°C preheated oven.

Olive Oil Tart Crust

Usually, I buy my pastry and freeze it but if you have 15 minutes to spare this recipe is worth trying.

Ingredients:
250 grams (approx. 2 cups) light whole wheat flour (French T80), or a 50/50 mix of all-purpose and whole wheat
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon dried herbs (I use rosemary or thyme)
60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil (or the oil of your choosing, provided it withstands cooking)
120 ml (1/2 cup) cold water

Preparation:
1.) Grease the pan lightly if it doesn't have a nonstick coating
2.) Combine the flour, salt, and herbs in a medium mixing bowl
3.) Add the oil and mix it in with a fork
4.) Add the water, mix with the fork until it is absorbed, then knead lightly (I do this with just one hand, in the bowl) until the dough comes together into a ball
5.) Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle a little flour on the ball of dough and on the rolling pin, and roll the dough out into a circle large enough to fit your tart pan. Turn the dough by 45 degrees (a quarter of a circle) every time you roll the pin and back, adding a little more flour underneath and on the dough when it seems on the verge of becoming sticky. The trick is to do this in quick, assertive gestures (channel the spirit of Julia Child) to avoid overworking the dough.
6.) Transfer the dough carefully into the prepared pan and line it neatly.
7.) Trim the excess dough (re-roll it and cut into decorative shapes to top the tart), and place the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
8.) You can then blind-bake the crust (prick with a fork first), or garnish it straight away, depending on the filling. Either way, it will take 20 to 25 minutes at 200°C (400°F) to bake thoroughly.

Crunchy Carrot Quiche

A quiche makes an easy, satisfying main course. This colorful carrot-bacon quiche looks and tastes great with a side of dark green vegetables or salad. It is super-easy and super-fast to make.

Ingredients:
180 gr cream fraiche (1 pot)
150gr carrots, coarsely grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
some pepper
ready-made dough (approx. 25x42 cm)
80 gr bacon bits

Preparation:
1.) Mix creme fraiche with carrots and season
2.) Place dough into a baking tin
3.) Pour mixture onto dough leaving an approximately 2 cm wide margin free and fold in
4.) Spread bacon bits onto it.

Bake: 20 minutes in the bottom half of the preheated oven to 220 degrees.

Mushroom Gruyère Quiche

Quiche is awesome because it’s easy to prepare. It looks beautiful. It travels well, I send a slice with my kids to school. It makes a great lunch AND a light dinner. It’s versatile – throw in whatever ingredients you want. It’s also really, really delicious.

I use frozen pie crusts. A homemade crust will always taste better, but a frozen one is good enough when you want something easy.

Ingredients:
12 inch pastry shell (homemade or prepared like Feuilletée)

2 tbsp. butter

2-3 tbsp. minced shallots

300gm fresh mushrooms or mixed with dried, sliced

1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp of fresh or dried thyme

4 eggs

1 c. or 250gm (2 pots) plain “nature” yogurt (whole milk or non-fat)
1 c. milk

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)

1 cup or 150gm grated Gruyere cheese

Directions:
1.)  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet.
2.) Add shallots and cook a minute or so, stirring occasionally.
3.) Stir in mushrooms, salt, thyme, and dash of pepper. Cook until liquid is completely evaporated.
4.) Remove from heat and let completely cool.
5.) Beat eggs, milk and yogurt together with nutmeg.
6.) Sprinkle half the cheese on the bottom of pastry shell (cheese on the bottom reduces risk of a soggy pie crust on the bottom).
7.) Put mushrooms/shallot mixture on top of cheese and add egg mixture.
8.) Sprinkle remaining cheese on top with some freshly ground pepper.
9.) Bake 35-45 minutes at 185C or 350F degrees (until quiche is puffy and golden on top). Knife inserted in center comes out clean.
10.) Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Leek & Onion Quiche with a twist

Thanks to this week's chain e-mail of recipe exchanges, I am discovering all kinds of fast and easy dishes to prepare for my family. Here's another one from a Spanish friend of a friend of a friend of a friend.

Ingredients:
1 pie crust
2 leek, halved, washed, finely sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 onion
150ggr of smoked bacon, diced
50 - 100 gr of creamy blue cheese, crumbled
a handful of raisins
2 tablespoons of Mango/Pineaplle jam

Preparation:
1.) Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and cook until crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel
2.) Sauté the sliced leeks and onion in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until tender.
3.) Add raisins.
4.) In an oven dish or oven tray set the pastry and cover with the marmalade
5.) Fill the crust with bacon, leeks, onions and cheese.
6.) Bake at 200°C until the filling is puffed and baked through in the center, around 30 minutes.

Tip: If you wish you can cover the pie with puff pastry and press down edges firmly. Trim excess. Press a fork around edges to seal. Brush pastry with egg. Make a small hole in centre of pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 25-30 minutes until pastry has risen and is golden brown.