Mom can relax while you whip up this quiche

CHEF RANDY

Asparagus and Gruyere quiche

This asparagus and Gruyere quiche is substantial enough to serve for brunch or dinner on Easter, Mother’s Day or most any other time. Photo by Randy Graham

Image

By Randy Graham

Correspondent

This creamy, salty, cheesy quiche is topped with fresh, tender asparagus and baked in a hearty crust. I like to make it for brunch or supper, especially for occasions like Mother’s Day or Easter.

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1½ cups whole wheat flour

1½ cups white flour

1 cup wheat germ

1½ teaspoons sea salt

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons butter

10-12 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

1 tablespoon butter

1 leek (white and light green parts only — halved and thinly sliced)

1 pound of asparagus (tough ends removed, stems sliced thin diagonally)

4 large eggs

1¼ cups half-and-half

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 cup aged Gruyère cheese (grated)

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir together flour, wheat germ and salt. Cut butter into these dry ingredients (a pastry cutter makes this easy). When the dough is the consistency of rolled oats, sprinkle with enough water to hold the dough together. Form into a ball, cover and refrigerate for about an hour while you prepare the filling.

2. Use only the white and green parts of the leek. Cut it in half and slice it thinly. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus and slice the tender parts thinly on the diagonal.

3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek and asparagus, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is tender — about 7 or 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

5. Roll out the dough and lay it carefully in the baking pan, creating a 1½-inch-high crust up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle Gruyère on the bottom of the crust and top with asparagus/leek mixture. Pour egg mixture on top. Bake until the center of the quiche is set — about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Randy Graham is a chef and author whose cookbooks include “The Ojai Valley Cookbook,” “The Ojai Valley Vegetarian” and the “The Ojai Valley Vegan.” He has been a vegetarian since 1975.