BASIC QUICHE With Variations

    

     One further note on quiche.  After you fill the quiche use your hands and fingers to sink the bits of filling that might protrude above the liquid filling down so that they are covered.  Picky, yes, but just sayin'.

Quiche Lorraine:
This is the basic quiche recipe.  From the late and lamented Victorian Sampler Tea Room in Eureka Springs, AR. 

1 (9-inch) pastry shell, baked to light brown
5 or 6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1/2 small onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. green pepper, diced
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
2 or 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. Swiss cheese, grated
1 c. mild Cheddar cheese, grated
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c. sour cream
Dash of salt
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of white pepper
Dash of Tabasco Sauce

Saute onion, green pepper and mushrooms in melted butter. Recently I've discovered this can be accompoished in the microwave oven-slice butter over onions and green pepper and zap 3 or 4 minutes on HIGH zap sliced mushrooms for 2 or 3 minutes on HIGH and drain off liquid.  Combine eggs, sour cream and seasonings and thoroughly mix with wire whip or at low speed with electric mixer.  Stir in vegetables, cheeses and bacon and pour into pastry shell.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until set and lightly browned on top.  Serves 5 or 6.

Quiche Variations: 
From our basic Quiche Lorraine most of the quiche of the day entrees for the Tea Room are made.  Eliminate bacon, onion, green pepper and mushrooms and substitute as follows.  (As you can see Jim's formula can be adapted for virtually anything.  Use 2 cups filling and seasoning of choice.  Smoked salmon, scallops (cooked), crab or faux crab, sausage, just follow your instincts. and don't add too much additional liquid.)

Vegetable Quiche: 
(A Tea Room favorite)
Equal quantities for a total of approximately 2 cups per quiche - onion, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, chopped or sliced and sauteed or zapped in the microwave oven with butter until crisp-tender.  Season as desired.

Broccoli-Mushroom Quiche:
1 c. mushrooms, sauteed or zapped in microwave and drained of excess liquid
1 c. broccoli, sauteed or zapped in microwave oven with butter
Seasoning (as desired)

Ham "Quiche:
1 cup cooked ham, shaved and chopped and tossed with 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. onion and 1/2 c. green pepper, chopped and sauteed in butter
Seasoning (as desired)

Quiche Florentine:
1 c. cooked spinach, chopped and well-drained
1 c. (before sauteeing) mushrooms, sliced
5 or 6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1/2 small onion, chopped

Shrimp-Artichoke Quiche:
1 or 1 1/2 c. shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 c. artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (we use a 15 oz. can for two quiche)O

In the Tea room we complement with our soup and muffin of the day plus fruit garnish.