Comforting quiche replacing heavy cream with ricotta cheese, plus asparagus, chives and chevre in a buttery crust.
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As each season rolls around, I wrap it around me like a blanket, thinking: โthis is my favorite seasonโ.
Summer with overflowing abundance and sunshine.
Fall with the smell of harvest in the air, a promise fulfilled.
Winter, a time to pull back and quietly replenish.
And now spring. From the unfurling of tender new leaves on stiff branches, to daffodils poking sunny heads up through the snow to greet the return of longer days, spring sings new growth, hope, and possibilities. The transition to spring is startling in our back yard, which sleeps in the shadow of a steep hill for most of the winter. As our gardens feel warm sunshine slip across them for the first time in months, they wake up and stretch out new tendrils of growth with wild abandon. Except, notably, two large, stubborn plants in raised beds.
A few years ago, I planted two adolescent artichoke plants Iโd found at a local nursery. Iโd had a hankering to plant artichokes for a few years, knew they grew well in fog belts south of us, and was convinced they would thrive in our backyard. I watched as they grew long silvery-green leaves, capturing new territory in the garden each year, but searched in vain every month for signs of any actual artichokes. Finally, after much thought last fall, we put them on probation. The plants were large, and will ultimately take up significant real estate; the rent would be due in the spring or face eviction.
Last week, I tramped up the stone stairs leading to the garden for the bazillionth time to check on the recalcitrant artichoke plants. I bent over the larger of the two, figuring it my best bet, and there at its base, nestled in a soft cocoon of foliage, was a tiny artichoke globe. I couldnโt believe my eyes.
I raced back down the stairs to call to Myles. Whatever he was doing couldnโt possibly be more important than this. Then over the weekend, more good news:ย weโre having twins. The second artichoke plant is starting to produce a tiny globe of its own.
Itโs such a small thing, I know, but Iโm just ridiculously over the moon about these little artichokes finally appearing after all these years. Spring is the season of hope indeed; this is my favorite season.
I'll post some artichoke recipes soon, but I wanted to open the spring with a vegetable that for me is synonymous with spring at my local farmer's markets: asparagus.
Eggs and asparagus are perfect together. For another recipe I make every spring for Easter, check out this asparagus gribiche. Gribiche is a sauce made with hard boiled eggs, capers, parsley and mustard.
Or check out this Asparagus Gruyere Quiche for a different approach to an asparagus quiche. The crust uses hash browns, and the filling is lightened by replacing some of the half and half with low fat milk and whipped egg whites.
For a lighter egg dish, make these herbed goat cheese soufflรฉs or this classic Quiche Florentine. They're little soufflรฉs without the fuss.
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Asparagus Quiche
Ingredients
Quiche Shell
- 5 ounces all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces unsalted butter very cold, sliced into ยผโณ sections
- โ teaspoon kosher salt
- ยฝ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ice water or more for the dough to come together
Asparagus Quiche Filling
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small leek, while and light green parts only thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 cup chopped asparagus about 3 or 4 asparagus
- 2 large eggs
- ยฝ cup ricotta cheese
- ยผ cup chevre
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- ยผ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ยฝ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 asparagus whole sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Quiche Crust
- Pro-tip: Go to this post on how to make a perfect, flaky pie crust for photos, tips and details for making your own crust for pies or quiche. Otherwise, follow the below steps.
- Place the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times.
- Add the butter all at once and pulse about 10 times until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water and pulse a few times. Test the dough by pinching it. If it sticks together well when pinched, youโve added enough water. If not, add additional water.
- Dump the dough mixture, including loose flour, onto a work area. Smear the dough across your work surface, using the palm of one hand. Do this three times. This helps to create fabulous layers of a flaky, buttery crust.
- Form into a disk, wrap in wax paper or plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Roll out to โ โณ thickness between two pieces of wax paper. Peel off the wax paper and carefully drape the dough into a quiche dish or pie plate. Tuck it into the corners, and cut off any excess dough. Using your fingers or the floured end of a round-handled wooden spoon, flute the dough. Chill until youโre ready to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 425หF. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork numerous times. This is called docking, and helps prevent the dough from billowing upwards in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. It will be very lightly browned. If the pastry starts to billow up, just poke it a few more times with the fork, and press it down using a towel. Pro-tip: Another option is to 'blind bake' the crust. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the crust. It doesn't need to be exact. Cover the bottom with pie weights or dried beans. This prevents it from billowing up as well. Once the sides begin to brown, remove the pie weights and bake until lightly browned on the bottom.
Quiche Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350หF.
- Melt the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, shallot, and chopped asparagus to the pan and sautรฉ until the leeks and asparagus begin to soften.Spread on the base of the pre-baked quiche shell.
- Whisk together the eggs, cheeses, milk, mustard, lemon zest, chives, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour over the sautรฉed vegetables.
- Toss the asparagus spears in a little olive oil and lemon juice and arrange across the top of the quiche.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Pro-tip: The additional sitting time allows the eggs to set up before serving.
LiztheChef
Exciting re your artichokes! We love asparagus quiche - 'tis the season for certain.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It's so silly, I know, but I'm really so excited about these little guys showing up ๐
Lynda - TasteFood
I adore spring asparagus. Quiche is a wonderful way to show them off!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
My too. Strawberries and asparagus are two things that really says spring to me.
Rosemary
Sweet Artichoke story! Congratulations ๐
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks ๐
Ann from Sumptuous Spoonfuls
I love your artichoke story and can SO relate to the feeling of "wrapping each season around me" ... but asparagus, oh. I long for spring and the taste of asparagus, the new growth in the garden, the daffodils. I get just giddy over silly little things like flowers appearing.
BTW, I loved this so much, I pinned it to the BEST food blogger recipes board: http://pinterest.com/bachelorsgrill/best-food-blogger-recipes/
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Ann!! Wow, I really appreciate it. If you make this quiche, I hope you like it as much as we have!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks Ashley!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I didn't grow up in an area where growing these would have been even remotely possible, so it's always so miraculous to me to see them growing in the fields. It's like I thought they magically emerged in the grocery warehouse ๐
[emailย protected]
Love the post. And the baby artichokes!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks Simone! I visit my 'twins' in the garden patch every day ๐
Liz
Beautiful quiches!!! I love your styling ๐ And congrats on your first artichokes...I'd be over the moon, too!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Well the Gods at the photo sites didn't share your love of my styling, LOL. But I was happy with it, but am even more excited about my 'twins':-)
Terra
Awww, so pretty!!! I remember watching Jamie Oliver make a pretty quiche, and said I need to do that:-) Now I really need to make it, I love asparagus so much:-) Beautiful! Take care, Terra
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks Terry!! What I like about this one is that it doesn't have any heavy cream in it. Hope you give it try ๐ And thanks for stopping by.
Hannah
I agree completely with your sentiments - each season is my favorite for unique, wonderful reasons. The newness of spring is incredibly lovely and your baby artichokes are evidence of it. Your quiche is beautiful, too!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks Hannah! I go visit my little artichokes every day. It's amazing how much they grow each day.
sandi
This looks so yummy!