I’m craving spring flavors like those found in this Kale and Gruyere quiche. I’ve had too many days of gloomy PNW weather. I love the rain, but found myself outside yesterday in the morning doing my best to soak up the few sun beams we got. Our cats were positively ecstatic – two of three parked themselves on the cat tree right in front of the window and basked in the sun. Even Daisy found a sun spot on the carpet and took a good long time warming her belly. We are all seriously deprived right now.
Kale and Gruyere Quiche to the rescue. I love the creamy texture of eggs and cheese in a quiche. Kale is a versatile vegetable and can be a harbinger of both fall and spring. While I love having kale in pasta dishes in the fall, there’s nothing better in the spring than a good bunch of kale sauteed and tossed into a quiche. I used lacinato Kale or dinosaur kale because I love the deep green flavor it brings to dishes. I sauteed it until it was soft and then drained and pressed out the excess moisture in a colander. This helps keep the crust from getting soggy.
I used a quick olive oil crust for this kale and Gruyere quiche. I’ve been known to go crustless for my quiches, but this week just felt like that extra little touch might be in order. One tip for baking the quiche – put the quiche on a baking sheet and put it in the oven. This way, there’s no slopping of egg and milk into your oven. Yes – I learned this the hard way.
One advantage of using Gruyere cheese is that it melts so well. I also tossed in a few red pepper flakes to add some heat. I could have gone either with red pepper flakes or with nutmeg – either would create a nice flavor, but nutmeg is to autumnal for me. I also used a bit of fleur de sel this time around. Really, it’s a perfect early spring dish. I’ll be eating this throughout the week with a quick spinach salad on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, washed, de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup milk
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- salt to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup ice water
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine the flour, salt, olive oil, and water in a small bowl. Combine with your hands until the crust holds together. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to the size needed for an 8 inch pie pan. Transfer the crust to the pie pan and refrigerate while you are making the quiche.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Saute the kale in the olive oil for 7 minutes or until it is wilted. Salt to taste. Drain and press out any remaining moisture. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs and milk together in a small bowl until frothy. Add the cheese, red pepper flakes, and ground pepper.
- Place the sauteed kale at the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Pour the egg/milk/cheese mixture over the top and redistribute the kale as needed.
- Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the crust is lightly brown and the eggs are set. Enjoy!
- Makes 4 hearty servings.
This post is linked up to Tinned Tomatoes: Meat Free Mondays. Check out the great posts that Jacqueline posts each week!
This post is also linked up to #CookBlogShare hosted by Easy Peasy Foodie and Hijacked by Twins.
