Quiche Lorraine: A Timeless Delight Through the Holidays and Beyond!

Quiche is an easy and elegant breakfast fit for any special morning, not just reserved for holiday festivities. Before the morning erupts into chaos while the kiddies (and kids at heart) unwrap everything under the tree, give a gift that everyone is guaranteed to love. Start your day with a delicious Quiche Lorraine—named after the Lorraine region of France, this classic is the queen of quiches.

Named after the Lorraine region of France, classic quiche Lorraine (keesh loh-rain) is the queen of quiches. A buttery, flaky crust is filled with a rich savory egg custard, crisp bacon, Swiss cheese and baked in a pie or tart pan. What’s not to love?

Quiche is one of those dishes that everyone should know how to make. They’re perfect for holidays because they can be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen, then quickly reheated.  Quiche is wonderful served hot, warm or cold, for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner. It very elegant and surprisingly quick and easy to throw together.

Affordable Elegance

Another reason to love quiche this time of year is most of the ingredients go on sale for the holidays. Historically, prices are great on eggs, bacon, heavy cream and premade pie crusts. Of course, it’s even less expensive to make crust from scratch but if you’ve got enough on your to-do list, buy a frozen one.

As versatile as it is timeless, Quiche Lorraine opens the door to a world of culinary creativity. While the classic version reigns supreme with crisp bacon, Swiss cheese, (modern preparations of the dish usually include Swiss cheese) and a rich egg custard, why not embark on your own quiche adventure? Consider a Vosgienne twist with added cheese, or an Alsacienne flair with bacon, onions, and cheese. Don’t hesitate to raid your pantry or fridge; quiches are an excellent canvas for using up leftovers. From savory vegetables to different cheeses, let your culinary imagination run wild, creating custom quiche creations that suit every season.

Of course, you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand. Quiches are also a great way to use up leftovers. This thrifty French recipe will be a favorite in your repertoire.

CLASSIC QUICHE LORRAINE

Yield: 6 servings  Total Time:1 hour

What You’ll Need:

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 eggs (beaten)

⅛ teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

Pinch ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons flour

8 slices bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)

1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell

Here’s How:

Preheat the oven to 375°F degree.

Cook your bacon using your preferred method. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, cream, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and beat well with a whisk or eggbeater. In another bowl, toss the cheese with the flour. Sprinkle cheese and crumbled bacon into the unbaked pastry shell.

Now, carefully pour the egg mixture into the pie shell.

Bake the quiche for 40 to 50 minutes, until egg mixture is mostly set and slightly puffed, and the top is golden. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice into wedges to serve.

To make ahead – bake the quiche and let it cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to three days or freezer up to three months. Reheat loosely covered with foil in a 325°F degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until warmed through.

A little Diva tip:

Don’t use half and half as a substitute for the heavy cream and milk. Heavy cream is 38% fat and milk is 4%, so that the result is 21% fat. Half and half is only 12% fat, and while still delicious, gives a different end result.

Suggested Sides:

Favorite side dishes for quiche include a bowl of mixed fruit for breakfast or brunch. Oven roasted little potatoes always compliments quiche. For lunch or dinner add a green salad, or tomato soup and a nice glass of white wine.

 

Hopefully, this recipe will inspire your own custom quiche creations. Since you’ve baked it ahead you can save your energy for making memories and mimosas.

You will also enjoy RED VELVET WAFFLES WITH CREAM CHEESE MOUSSE AND BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES  and DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY AND ALMOND BREAKFAST COOKIES