LUCY BURDETTE: This has been a very very very busy month! It all started with the launch of A POISONOUS PALATE on August 8. It’s my tradition by now to celebrate with a book party at our local independent bookstore, RJ Julia in Madison CT. This year, I noticed that my friend Sarah Stewart Taylor also had a book coming out that same week, so I invited her to join me. Since the party started at 6:30, we would need to eat ahead of time—something delicious but not too demanding, that would feed the two of us plus my good friend Yvonne and hub John. I remembered trying a recipe for crustless broccoli quiche from one of my favorite chef/cookbook authors Once Upon a Chef. It was completely delicious as you will see in the last picture, and not too much trouble. I made a few tweaks based on my preferences and what I had on hand.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Half a cup chopped shallots, or red onion, or leeks, whatever you prefer
10 ounces broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon salt (I always cut salt in half)
Six large eggs
2 cups heavy or whipping cream.
Pinch ground nutmeg, if you choose
One quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
One and a half cups shredded cheese (she recommends Gruyere, I had French Emmental, but I think cheddar would be fine as well)
Cut the broccoli into florets. Chop the onions. Grate the cheese.
Sauté the onions in melted butter, add the broccoli along with a sprinkle of salt and 1/ 3rd cup of water. Steam this all together until the broccoli is beginning to soften.
Whisk the eggs together with the whipped cream, nutmeg, half teaspoon salt, and quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper.
In a buttered pie pan, spread the broccoli shallot mixture over the bottom. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, and carefully pour the egg mixture on top of that.
Bake for about an hour at 325 until the quiche is set and the top is beginning to brown. Cool for 10 minutes and serve. I served with a nice salad, but forgot to take a photo.
The book party was a big success too! (Do you have your copy already?)
(Oh no, I'm missing a couple!)
