sidecar - hitch along for food

Happy Thanksgiving

Count your blessings.

 

Onion Cumin Quiche

I love quiche, anytime of the year.  But it makes an especially nice Fall supper with a little frisee salad on the side. This recipe is adapted from the Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook by Clotilde Dusoulier.  It's a fun cookbook, a little different than many others on my shelf, and she is very creative in her food pairings.  I would not have thought to make a cumin scented quiche, but it is wonderful.  The onions taste sweet and caramelized after slow cooking, and are a nice contrast against the smoky cumin.  Then it's all layered up in a buttery classic pate brisee crust.  You can get a basic quiche crust from my Baby Quiches post. Personally, I think it is well worth the investment in time to make it from scratch.  But with a homemade crust, I find it is a better weekend than weeknight dish.

Onion and Cumin Quiche

One pate brisee recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra to grease pan

2 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup cream

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

1 1/2 cups freshly grated comte or gruyere cheese, about 5 1/2 ounces

Prepare the pate brisee dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the pate brisee chills, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Stir.  Cover pan, turn heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent.  Remove lid, turn heat to medium high, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until most of the liquids have evaporated.  

Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest on counter for 10 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch ceramic quiche pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  Working on lightly floured surface, roll out the dough in to a twelve inch circle.  Transfer dough to pan and prick all over the bottom with a fork.  Press into the side with fingers.  If you have overhang on the sides, you can use a rolling pin straight across the top of the quiche pan to remove the excess.  

At this point, I usually like to put my pan with crust into the freezer for 10 minutes to firm a little before baking. This will help keep the crust from shrinking too much in the oven.  After this quick turn in the freezer, bake the crust for 7 minutes, till lightly golden.  Remove from oven (leaving heat on), and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream.  Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and cumin.  Fold in cheese and onions and pour into the tart shell.

Bake for 35 minutes, until top is golden and center of quiche is slightly jiggly.  Turn oven off and leave quiche in closed oven for another 10 minutes, still filling is set. Serve warm.