Quiche Lorraine and then some

For some reason, Bob had little pieces of quiche at a breakfast buffet this fall and has been bugging me to make quiche ever since.  I'm not a huge fan of quiche.  It tastes alright, but for some reason I can't get past the texture.  I decided, though, that I'd make it this weekend and get it over with.  And while I was making quiche, I might as well go all out.  So beyond the quiche lorraine with bacon, I added some stuff.  :-P  You know me and following directions....


Quiche Lorraine (a la Julia Child)
6 to 8 pieces thick-sliced bacon
An 8-inch partially cooked pastry shell placed on a buttered baking sheet
3 large eggs
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper and nutmeg
1 to 2 T butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Slice bacon into 1/4-inch pieces and brown lightly in a frying pan; drain and spread in bottom of pastry shell.  Beat eggs, cream, and seasonings in a bowl to blend.  Just before baking, pour cream mixture into the shell, filling to within 1/8 inch of the top.  Cut butter into bits and distribute over the cream.  Bake in upper third of over for 25 to 30 minutes until quiche has puffed and browned, and a small knife, plunged into custard, comes out clean.


Now, of course, that's not what I actually did.  First of all, I was not going to spend time on the "pastry shell."  According to Julia, you should make your own crust and bake it upside down over a tart pan (like I have one) so it can stand on it's own.  Whatever, I used storebought crust and just put it in the pan thawed.  And I didn't do my bacon ever so neatly.  I fried it and broke it up by hand.  Because I'm a barbarian like that.  :-D  And while I was at it, I threw in some shredded swiss cheese and some fresh mushrooms. 

Then I did the eggs and cream (by hand with a whisk, not with an electric beater, of course), and I could just see Bob saying that it was too fluffy.  So I added another egg.  And no salt.  I'm sure the bacon is sodium enough.  And same with the butter.  Do we really need more?  I'm sure Julia would've been appalled!  As for baking it in the upper third of the oven, in addition to being at a tilt, my oven only has one shelf, which does not move!  I've tried!  So I cooked it for 20 minutes at 350 until everything started browning and then microwaved it a couple minutes to get it done.

 

So the moral of the story:  The quiche turned out well, although probably not how Julia Child would have liked it.  It tastes good, but I still don't like the feel of it in my mouth.  And I'm starting my wishlist for the kitchen in my house someday:  1) A good stove that's not on a tilt, 2) More than one square foot of counter space, 3) More storage space so I can have stuff like tart pans, 4) A dishwasher (which should actually be #1).  Because now I'm off to wash dishes.  I have been blessed with a love of cooking but cursed with an absolute hatred of washing dishes.  *Sigh*