The Week Ahead [crustless broccoli quiche]

We’re headed into a long week here at Casa Glass of Milk.  As I was getting my meal plan together this weekend, I noticed that almost every recipe I wanted to make involved chicken and/or broccoli.  While winter where we live means I’m in the kitchen, slow-roasting a giant hunk of meat for Sunday dinners, spring and summer call for simple and easy fare, leaving me enough time to sneak out for a walk before sunset.

This evening, simple and easy meant Crustless Broccoli Quiche from Keepers, which I found via Joanna.  I’m always in for a recipe with about 5 ingredients.

To make one, 10-inch quiche, you will need:

• butter, for greasing pie plate
• 3 C chopped broccoli florets
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2/3 C heavy cream
• 1 C whole milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• pinch nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 10-inch pie plate.

Steam broccoli florets for 2 minutes, till bright green, but not fully cooked.  Drain and pat dry using a kitchen towel.  Place florets in pie plate, and top with cheddar cheese.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk cream, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg till combined.  Pour mixture over broccoli.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until quiche is set.  The middle may still be a bit jiggly, but that’s okay.  Let quiche cool a bit (5 or so minutes), and serve in big wedges.

The beauty of this dish, of course, is that it can be taken in any number of directions.  You could easily add caramelized onions and sausage, and you know it kills me that I didn’t have any mushrooms on hand.  Red peppers would take this in a different direction, as would Parmesan cheese and a little bit of thyme.  But I tend to over-complicate matters.  This quiche is a marvelous breakfast, lunch, or dinner completely on its own.  Or maybe with a lightly dressed pile of arugula nearby.  Ugh, there I go again.