This is turning into Wales week here in
the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen! Today we welcome back our friend Elizabeth J. Duncan, who’s
been in Wales since last fall and shows no signs of coming home. Make sure you read to the end to see Elizabeth's giveaway.
Here's Elizabeth with a treat for you!
You probably think of sandwiches when
you think of picnics, and quiche when you think of standby fare for lunch or a
light supper, but easy-to-make quiche is actually the perfect picnic food.
Today we’re making one using that most traditional of Welsh ingredients, the
leek, and then we’re taking it on a picnic. Yes, the weather and views in this
beautiful country are such that we ramble and picnic in January!
The leek is a national emblem of Wales.
According to legend, Saint David, patron saint of Wales, ordered his Welsh
soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the vegetable on their helmets in an
ancient battle against the Saxons that took place in a leek field. It is still
worn on St David's Day each March 1.
Leek Quiche
 |
| You just need a few basic ingredients! |
Ingredients
4 oz Cheddar or Gruyere cheese, grated
1 leek, washed and sliced
3 eggs
6 oz milk or cream or a combination of
both
salt, pepper
one pie crust, homemade or store
bought, cooked
Optional: : Add whatever happens to be
in the fridge: mushrooms, bacon … I had some Scottish smoked salmon on hand and
added that.
Method
Wash the leek, slice crossways, and
sauté gently until soft and fragrant. Do not brown.
 |
| Gently saute the leeks |
Sprinkle cheese over the bottom
of the pie crust (or pastry case as its called in Wales), add the leek which
has been allowed to cool slightly. Beat eggs lightly with milk or cream, and
salt and pepper, and pour mixture over cheese and leeks.
 | |
| Ready for the oven! |
Bake at 350 until the
centre is set, about 25 minutes.
 |
| Ready to slice! |
Allow to cool, cut into slices and pack
for your picnic. Or enjoy on March 1 in celebration of St. David’s Day.
Here's Elizabeth showing us part of her packed 'winter' picnic on a clear day at the base of Mt. Snowdon. What a spectacular view. No wonder she's spending so much time in Wales. Wow!
More from Elizabeth:
I’m delighted to give away an ARC of Murder on the Hour, the seventh in
the award-winning Penny Brannigan mystery series, to be published in April
2016, by Minotaur. Just leave a comment below and we’ll pick a winner at random.
Entrants welcome from Canada, USA and the UK.
Here's some more about Elizabeth. A former
journalist and college professor, Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of two
mystery series –the well-established, Penny Brannigan Mysteries set in North
Wales, and the recently launched Shakespeare in the Catskills. Elizabeth has
been nominated for, and won, several awards, including the 2013 Bloody Words
Light Mystery Award (aka the Bony Blithe), a Canadian national juried award
given annually for a light mystery. Elizabeth
divides her time between Canada and Wales and is a faculty member of the Humber
School for Writers.
To connect with Elizabeth, visit her web page ViSIT ELIZABETH'S WEBSITE, follow
her on Twitter @Elizabethduncan or LIKE ELIZABETH ON FACEBOOK
I've read all the Penny Brannigan books as they've come out, and I was delighted when I came across Shakespeare in the Catskills, especially since I grew up in upstate NY.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying them!
DeleteThis looks very tasty! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeletekaren(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com
It was tasty! But everything tastes better outdoors.
DeleteThanks... I've added this to my Super Bowl Brunch! I'm new to this book and author, and I'm intrigued. kat8762@aol.com
ReplyDeleteDidn't think of it as Super Bowl fare, but why not!
DeleteLove reading about the history of the leek, the quiche recipe; and the book definitely sounds great! EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy all of it!
DeleteI like leeks but can't always find a good recipe to use them. You can't go wrong with quiche.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I have missed this series or the Shakespeare in the Catskills series, but they both sound like something I would enjoy reading. Thanks for the giveaway.
sallycootie@gmail.com
Hope you'll give both series a try. And I agree with you … can't go wrong with quiche!
DeleteThanks for the giveaway. I'll have to look up your books. suefoster109@netzero.net
ReplyDeletePlease do!
DeleteYou've got to love a country that marches into battle wearing vegetables on their heads (I hope they won!). Since my husband's parents' surnames were Williams and Evans, and my mother's was Floyd (ap Lloyd?), obviously we have a Welsh bias. Your quiche looks beautiful--wonderful colors.
ReplyDeleteHi Sheila, Legend has it they did win and to this day the Royal Welch Fusiliers eat raw leeks on March 1! Lots of great Welsh names there!
DeleteThanks for the chance to win! Dmskrug3@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
DeleteThis is a new to me series but the title is also personal to my family. My 94yr old FIL is bedbound and driving us crazy. At any hour of the day one of us it likely to say, I'd like to wring his neck. The switches that most people have that makes them able to live in society appear to have all broken at once.
ReplyDeleteHis cognition is shot and his two favorite words are "done! and Did it!", even if someone else is the one doing something.
NoraAdrienne (at) gmail (dot) com
Hope you will give the series a try.
DeleteLeeks are such an underrated and underused vegetable, but I love them. My winter picnic (in Ottawa) is more likely to be indoors! I will definitely try this recipe and would love to win a copy of Murder on the Hour.
ReplyDeleteNancy R - my email is jw.nl.reid@sympatico.ca
Yes, we could all show leeks a little more love!
DeleteThe quiche looks very good, time to go to the store and get a leek or two. I have the first couple in the series and enjoyed reading them, thank so much for a chance to win! annelovell12@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the books!
Delete