Recipe: Autumn Harvest Quiche

Autumn Quiche

Forgive the burnt look, it'll be explained later on...also I don't have fancy tableware...

It all started with a hunt for cheese...

I'm not a big fan of cheese and never eat it unless it's melted - the very definition of 'health' I am - however, I went to an event earlier in the year with my boss and his daughter in Richmond Park. Rather than the standard idea of 'finger food', like sandwiches, sausage rolls, cream tea and anything else you'd expect to see, there was instead...you guessed it! A cheeseboard! A range of cheeses that I know nothing about, apart from cheddar and mozzarella and maybe that mexican pepper stuff from Subway. Immediately, I could feel myself recoiling - I had to eat something, this was after all - judging from the choice of cheeseboard to common finger food - an upper-class affair and while my boss and his daughter may be used to this, I certainly am not. I do feel like a fish-out-of-water at times, and certainly do worry about coming off boorish and uncultured...but I stick around because it's all part of the experience!

Anyway, daunted by the range of the not-so-appetising selection before me - I mean mouldy, veiny cheese?! Why would you think that was good? I was raised to think once it turned blue, in the bin it goes! Then there's the smell and the texture...just ew! - I turned to my bosses daughter and confessed my inexperience, in the hopes that she could perhaps turn me towards some safer cheeses - ones I wouldn't cause a scene by up-chucking immediately. She turns to me and says not to worry, she doesn't know anything either but if you're interested those look nice - she's gesturing towards a curious, light-ish cheese with chives dotting it's surface. Thinking that I should be adventurous, I take two slices and a few slices of similar looking cheeses - all the while not knowing what they were - and grabbed a few baguette slices to pop them on, and maybe a few olives and celery sticks - I love olives and maybe they could neutralise the taste.

We joined my boss at a table he had procured, and I began to eat tentatively from my plate. The first two cheeses were ones I don't think I'd miss - I can't even remember them; I know they didn't taste all that nice, but not as bad as I had imagined - then it was time to eat the mystery cheese with chives. I eyed it eyeing me and then, mustering my resolve I placed it upon the baguette slice. I was surprised to find it quite spreadable, but my apprehension grew as I realised it could end up tasting like feta. With a celery stick at the ready - I was saving the olives for last - I took a bite and chewed...then kept chewing...then realised something strange was happening...I LIKED this cheese. It barely tasted like cheese, but had a buttery texture to match its spreadable-ness. I wanted to get up and grab more, but we had a presentation to get to and I never got around to asking what cheese it was...thus I fear the identity of this cheese shall remain a mystery...

Since then, each time I stopped by the supermarket, I would scour the cheese aisles looking for some clue as to the identity of it - much like the Prince searching for Cinderella, when all he had was the memory of their dance and her glass slipper. Then, just the other day, I went to Tesco with my mum - her quest being to procure some ink cartridges and pick up some food. Having mostly given up hope, I decided to do a more thorough search of what was available and came across the Double Gloucester with Chives and Onion. It certainly looked like the mystery cheese, if only a slightly darker yellow, and prodding it revealed it could perhaps have the same texture as well. Deciding that I didn't have much to lose, apart from my taste-buds waging war against me, I stuck it in the trolley along with some crackers.

The next day, as I semi-fantasised about indulging on a tea of Cheese'n'Crackers, I realised...what would I do if I DIDN'T like this cheese? I couldn't let it go to waste, since it wasn't its fault I didn't like it. Then the idea struck me, I could make a Quiche! I haven't made a Quiche since Year 11 and I've always wanted to try making one again - what a perfect opportunity! And so, remembering also that I had bought Sweet Potatoes in order to try the Houmous Recipe on iamafeeder.net, I decided to throw them together with a little onion. Partway through, I realised something felt missing and decided to throw in half a Green Pepper - otherwise I'd have forgotten they existed.

What follows is my recipe, made from a combination of THREE different Quiche - well, one of them was called Grandma's Sweet Potato Pie - recipes, I nabbed from my Baking Cookbook, combined with a little guesswork to get the Eggs/Milk combination which I'm glad turned out right!

Also, a not-so-interesting fact - the original title for this post was going to be Sweet Potato Quiche with Onion and Peppers, but that sounded pretty blah and then I realised that all the ingredients were Autumn-related...at least according to the Harvest Moon games...



Ingredients

For the Single-Crust Pastry

• 1 1/4 cups Plain Flour
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Fat/Shortening
• 4 tbsp Soft, Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3-5 tbsp Ice-Cold Water

For the Filling

• 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes
• 1/2 Onion
• 1/2 Green Pepper
• 3 Medium Eggs
• 120ml Milk
• 4oz Double Gloucester Cheese with Chives and Onion
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Mixed Herbs
• Chilli Powder
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Pepper

Some of the above ingredients can be ommitted/replaced to your preference, such as the cheese and seasoning's.

Utensils

These are suggested utensils, based on what I used:

• Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Jug
• Pastry Mixer/Food Processor/Fork/2 Knives - if you prefer not to get your hands dirty
• Rolling Pin
• 9-inch Pie Dish, preferably Stoneware
• Cling Film/Plastic Wrap
• Baking Beads/Rice
• Aluminium Foil
• Chopping Board
• Knife
• Deep Saucepan

Method

1. To start with, we begin by making the single-crust pastry. Pre-heat the oven to 220C and mix the flour and salt in the mixing bowl and then using the pastry mixer/fork or two knives (in scissor fashion) 'cut in' the butter and vegetable fat/shortening until the mixture resembles crumbs.
   A/N: I used a mixer with dough hooks but it did jack all, and not wanting to use what few knives I have, I used a fork. This became tedious, and so I just dove in with my fingers (washed of course) and rubbed the mixture to get the desired result. While I do know you can make the pastry using a food processor, I've never used one for this purpose...
2. Add the ice-water 1 tbsp at a time, and mix the pastry until it's moist enough to hold itself together - again, I used a fork for this, but resorted to my fingers in the end...what handy little tools. Once done, fashion into a disc and wrap in cling film/plastic wrap - see image below - and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. If you're planning on making this dish the next day, you can leave it over night but you have to let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
   
   
   
   Disc-shaped single-crust pastry, wrapped and ready to chill
   
   
3. While the pastry is in the fridge, give the two Sweet Potatoes a quick scrub under warm water and then place them in the saucepan, just covering them with water. Bring the water to boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
   
Sweet Potatoes simmering away
During the remaining time, prepare the remaining ingredients. Slice the half-onion, chop the half-pepper, grate the cheese, crack the 3 eggs and add to the 140ml of milk. Mix the eggs and milk to get a custard-like appearance.



Onions, eggs/milk and cheese - I hadn't thought of adding the green pepper at this time...


Once the 30 minutes are up, retrieve the pastry and roll out on a floured surface into a disc slightly larger than your pie-dish - at least enough for the crust to peek over the rim. I only realised afterwards, that the mixture could spill when moved to the oven...
Leave the pastry in the fridge for another 10 minutes to set, i.e. get used to its new shape. While this is going on, it's a good idea to check on the Sweet Potatoes, making sure that they've softened all around. If they have, drain the water and set aside to cool a little, otherwise let them simmer for another 10 minutes max.
Once the 10 minutes for the pastry is up, cover the pastry with aluminium foil and fill with the baking beads - I used uncooked rice...since rice is a staple in my home, we have lots of it, but since times are hard, let's hope my mum doesn't notice the missing 1/4 cup... - Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.


  
Pastry before and after chilling; latter ready for the oven


While this is going on, it's finally time to work on the filling! Drain the Sweet Potatoes - if they aren't already - and peel them. You can let them cool for a bit if you like, but if you happen to have nerves/fingers of rubber (steel gets hot!) you can peel as is.
Place the peeled Sweet Potatoes in a mixing bowl - either a second one or the same as the first, as long as it's been washed and dried! Mash away with a fork.



Sweet Potato mash...my fork got slightly bent, but luckily I can reshape it


Add the egg/milk mixture to the mash and combine the two - don't expect them to blend. Add the onion, cheese, green pepper and seasoning's and mix together well. As mentioned earlier, I hadn't thought of adding the green pepper now. Originally I planned on adding Chicken Tikka pieces, but decided it needed something else and - as they say - BAM! It hit me!


  
Mix with and without green peppers
Take the pastry - now pie crust - out of the oven once the 10 minutes are up and let it cool a little, pressing down any risen areas with the back of a spoon.



Pie crust fresh out of the oven - as you can see, I wasn't too gentle
 and accidentally broke the surface a little...
Lower the oven temperature to 180C and place the pie dish on a larger baking tray lined with foil. Upturn the foil edges to catch any spillage when pouring the filling into the crust, or when moving it to the oven.
A/N: I did it the other way around - poured the filling then placed on a larger backing tray...while there was no spillage, outside of the pie dish, I will be more careful next time.
Carefully return the baking tray/pie dish to the oven and allow to cook/back for 50-60 minutes.


  
Quiche before and after being placed in the oven


I let mine cook for 60 minutes, but next time I might do it for 55 max as it came out a little browner than I had planned. Then again, I'm odd and quite like eating burnt food. But yes, the Quiche is ready to be served and my God was the smell heavenly! It tasted even better!

Quiche, fresh out of the oven and ready to be served

And there you have it ladies and gentleman, my first Quiche in 10 years! I am so making another one in the future.