Tag: quiche

Free range eggs now formally defined in Australia

Free range eggs have now a formal definition in Australia.  The controversy was not new, and a definition has been a long time coming. A number of brands claim to be “free range”, alas, for the poor customer, there was (until now) no way to know the veracity of the claim, especially when you pay a premium for “free range eggs”, for some brands, that premium can mean over $10 a dozen.

One of the not so free range eggs brands apparentlyOne of the not so free range eggs brands apparently

Of course, the hens are free range,…not the eggs!

The new definition of what free range eggs imply is well received by some, not so well by others. I am not going to go into the controversy of what should be done when breeding hens and which brands are better than others, it is a personal issue on what is acceptable to you.  I find that this definition is a starting point, for those who think it is not good enough, well, marketing and imagination can be used wisely.

How are free range eggs defined elsewhere?

Lets get into the new  definition of free range eggs and look over the oceans at what is done elsewhere.

In Australia, free range eggs must come from hens that have meaningful and regular access to an outdoor range, with a stocking density of up to 10,000 birds per hectare.  One hectare being 100 m x 100 m, this means 1 square metre per hen outside.  Interestingly, it seems the density indoors is unknown.

And in Europe? Europe has a European standard which defines the different categories of eggs.  A free range eggs requires:

  • compulsory continuous daytime access to open air runs, AND
  • the outdoor area is solely to be used for the hens, with limitations on dual use of the land, AND
  • a maximum density of 2,500 birds per hectare, in other words 4 square metres per hen (at all time, i.e. indoor and outdoor).

You got it,  free range eggs in Europe are definitely more free range than in Australia!

And in the US? In the US, there is no regulatory standard for eggs.  “Free range” is used when the hens are free to roam inside and have access to an outdoor area.

Using eggs everyday

These recipes are quite timely, I did not prepare them on purpose for this post, they are life example from this week in my family.

Blue cheese and asparagus quiche

I like a quiche from time to time, it is light to digest and comes under many sorts.  When I was a child I only liked the cheese quiche, I did not like at all the quiche Lorraine!  Now, things are different.  Quiche can incorporate vegetables, either in the main mix, for example grated zucchinis (finely grated) or grated carrots either on top where it can also serve as decoration.  Make it look like a landscape!  Try asian mushrooms on top, I really like the enoki mushrooms. Use a combination of them, it will be great, guaranteed!   This week, Ambrine was helping me make the quiche, I had green asparagus and the remaining of a large basket of cherry tomatoes from my mother in law’s garden in the NSW Southern Highlands. The recipe is here.

Before Baking:

quiche in the making

Just BAKED

cheese and asparagus quiche

 

To make the quiche process a bit more rapid ahead of the meal, you can make the quiche in stages and prepare the pastry earlier the same day or the day before. You can even blind bake it earlier.

I serve the with a green salad.  And dessert was a fruit salad.

Dinner on the table
Dinner on the table

Eggs for breakfast, today, using a microwave coddler

This is another child friendly recipe.  This is all about the fun of  little vessel called “coddlers” used to cook eggs.  Coddlers are, traditionally, English porcelain egg cups with a metal lead.  Very British! Egg coddlers have been used in England since the 1800s. The original name for an egg coddler was pipkin. My sister sent me a microwave version of them for a recent Christmas, what a great find! The advantage of the microwave version is the cooking time, it cooks in 30 seconds whereas the ceramics ones are cooked in a bain marie, this takes for ages!

Microwave Coddler
Microwave Coddler

All you need to do is:

  1. Crack open the egg and gently put in the coddler
  2. Add salt, a teaspoon of cream, pepper if you want.  You can add many more things like cheese, spices, …
  3. Close the lid
  4. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds (this will depend on your microwave and requires a bit of trial and error)
  5. That is it! Bip! Ready!
Cooking an egg in a coddler
Cooking an egg in a coddler
Egg cooked in a coddler
Egg cooked in a coddler

 

 

 

 

Blue Cheese and Asparagus Quiche

This quiche serves 4 to 6 people.  You can change the asparagus to asian mushrooms and use Parmesan instead of blue cheese. Get the children involved in the second stage, it is fun!

1.The pastry

Ingredients
  • 100 g of plain flour
  • 50 g of soft butter (see tip below if you only have hard butter)
  • Some tap water (cold)
Method

To make the pastry there are two ways: best practices and a quicker approach.  I am giving both below.

Shortcrust – best practice:

This consist in rubbing the butter with the flour to coat the flour.  You can use your finger tips or the palms of your hands, you will need your two hands. You will obtain a coarse sandy texture.  This is when the water comes in.  Add two tablespoon of water and make a bowl, if you need more water, add only a little at the time.  The bowl should not be sticky.  If you have added too much water, add a bit of flour. It is important that you do not work the dough (no, definitely no kneading!).

Shortcrust – quick acceptable method:

The quick method is handy when you do not have soft butter.  Melt partly or totally you butter, add to the flour with 2 tablespoon of water, use a wooden spoon to mix initially.  Form a rough ball, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour around the ball and roll it into the flour.  Again, do not work the pastry, there is no need to develop the gluten strands here.

Rest time:

In both case, you need to rest the dough for at least ½ hour.

Rolling the pastry:

Pre-baking the pastry is necessary because the fill is very wet and will not cook if you don’t do it, you would end up with a soggy mess! When the dough is rested and you are ready for the next stage, roll the dough with a little flour (to prevent sticking) on a rolling mat.   You can use baking paper if you don’t have a rolling mat.  Some of you may have a kitchen bench which is perfect for rolling the dough directly on, use it! Do not add too much flour or you will start changing the recipe.

Dust the rolling pin with a little flour.  To roll the dough, place the rolling pin inthe middle of the pastry and in one continuous movement gently push away from you.  Do the same pushing towards you.  At this stage, place your tart dish over the pastry to visualise the size of it.

Rolling the pastry, not exactly a perfect example, but fine

You will roll the pastry in a circle a few centimetres wider than the base (for the sides). Either turn your mat or turn your rolling pin to work in the diagonal direction.  Again gently push backward and forwards the pastry all the way.  This can be done in a few movements but please no back and forth in one location!

Now transfer to the dish by gently lifting the upper third (like on the photo) pastry over the rolling pin and then lifting the rolling pit with the pastry hanging from it.

Removing excess pastry
Removing excess pastry

Carry it across.   There is no need to butter the dish before. Gently bring it down over the tart dish.  To remove the excess pastry, roll the rolling pin on the top of the dish.

Blind Baking

To blind bake, heat up the oven to 160-180 °C.  You have two options here, either use a fork and with the fork teeth do small holes all over the bottom of the pastry.  This will prevent any bubbles forming.

The second method IMG_8887is to place a baking paper on top of the pastry and use baking stones.

Cook in the oven until light golden.  if you are using the baking stones, you may want to remove the tart shell from the oven, lift the baking paper and baking stones (in a metal colander for example) and put back in the oven 5-10 minutes on 140-160°C to get a bit of colour on the bottom part.

 

2. The filling and final bake

Ingredients:
  • 6 eggs
  • 250 ml cream
  • salt and pepper, a point of ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese (if you do not have measuring cups, use a tea mug)
  • 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella
  • asparagus and cherry tomatoes
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 160°C if not already on.
  2. Mix the eggs and cream in a bowl with a whisk until combined, add salt and pepper . When adding the salt, be aware that the cheese may be quite salty already. Add the spice.Mix well.
  3. Crumble the blue cheese and add the mozzarella. Mix.
  4. Pour into the tart shell leaving at least 1/2 cm to the edge as the volume will rise when adding the asparagus and tomatoes.  The excess can be baked in a ramekin.
  5. Add the asparagus to make a forest, decorate with the cherry tomatoes.
  6. Bake until set in the centre.  It may be a bit lighter than on the photo, this is fine.

cheese and asparagus quiche before baking

 

 

Tarts for every day

Tarts are a bit like salads, there can be one for every day.  Tarts can be a lunch main item or family diner main or a side.  Tarts are very versatile.  There are the “every day tarts” and the “special occasion tarts”.   They can be served simply in the tart dish or on a serving dish.

The pastry

The three main pastry types are:

  • The shortcrust pastry (pate brisée)
  • The sweet shortcrust pastry (pate sablée), and
  • The puff pastry (pate feuilletée)

From there, there are many variations especially when it gets to the sweet shortcrust pastry when used as a base for cakes.

The shortcrust pastry is by far the most commonly used.  Many people are surprised when they learn that it is used for savoury and sweet tarts.  It is much better homemade, and can be done in advance.  You can also make a larger quantity and keep in the fridge for a few days or freeze in portions of 150 to 200 grams.

Shortcrust pastry consists solely of flour, half the weight of the flour of butter and a bit of water, I will add the method later.

The shortcrust pastry is most commonly used for strawberry tarts, lemon tarts and chocolate tarts.  I use the same recipe to make shortbread biscuits for the kids.  I have never tried a bought version (yes, this means that it is that easy!).

The puff pastry requires a bit more time and technique but it is not hard and I find it quite fun to make.  I have now made it a few times.  I make a large batch, cut into portions and freeze. Depending on where you live, you may find some good ones at the supermarket, but watch out for the ingredients, it should contain butter and not margarine.

Savoury Tarts

The most known of the savoury tarts is the quiche.  A quiche is essentially based on eggs and cream.  If you add bacon dices (lardons), it is a quiche Lorraine.  The quiche Lorraine is a children favourite! The steamed broccolini on the photo was added after cooking purely for decoration!  I had served the quiche with a few bunches of steamed broccolini.  With the quiche, I love a cheese quiche and an Asian mushroom quiche: I love using Asian mushrooms and placing them as if doing a landscape on a large quiche, they also taste great!

Funki quiche…

I also love and often make the following:

  •  red-pepper (capsicum) tart.  It is quite light. Salty with the sweetness of the capsicum.
  • a spinach tart.  This is a perfect dinner dish.
  • an onion tart. Handy when you run out of fresh food, there are always a few onions around.
  • a “flamiche” or leek tart, really delicious, this is a specialty from Northern France.
  • a mustard and tomato tart
tarte aux poivrons rouges
Red capsicum tart

I use the puff pastry with onions or when doing a light tomato tart.  Puff pastry can also come handy if it comes already rolled or ready to roll (i.e. no need making a shortcrust pastry).

Sweet Tarts

Fruit tarts are often made using the shortcrust pastry, typically apple tarts and pear tarts for an everyday meal would be done so.  The elaborate version of apple tart / pear tart may use puff pastry or a sweet shortcrust pastry (or variation of).   The simple fruit tart is very easy: roll your pastry, place in the tart tin (no need to butter the tin by the way), cut your fruits in slices, place them in a round shape.  You can choose to just add a couple of nuts of butter and a bit of sugar or a small mix made of one egg, 1/2 cup of milk or cream and a bit of sugar.  For those fruits like pears that typically give away a lot of juice, you will need to add 1 big tablespoon of almond meal.  The almond meal will soak up the juice and prevent a soaked pastry at the bottom of the tart.

Fruit tarts are a great use of fruits which are very ripe or need to be used rapidly.  It is a double hit: you don’t throw away those fruits and your family gets desert!

IMG_4220

For a simple strawberry tart, prepare a sweet shortcrust pastry, place it in the tin by either rolling it or by pushing it into the tart tin with your fingers.  Make dots with a fork on the basis to prevent the formation of bubbles, cook until lightly golden.  Place strawberries on top and brush them with red currant or apricot jam warmed and slightly diluted with water. A more elaborate version would be to add a layer of creme patissière below the strawberries.  Pastry shops which may prepare the tart more in advance than you would at home, often add again another layer (sponge or almond-based) to soak up liquids and prevent the pastry to become soggy.

IMG_4213
Simple strawberry tart

Lemon tarts come in two kinds: the one where the lemon filling cooks into the tart and the ones where the lemon curd is made ahead.  For the one alike a quiche, I like Julie Goodwin’s lemon and lime tart recipe.

Pastry left over….

And if there are small pastry left over, you can:

Shortcrust pastry

  • Make one or several tartlets with fruits from the fruit basket or frozen berries.  Alternatively, you can put some jam in the tartlets.
  • Do an afternoon tea for the kids: place the scarp together, roll, place on baking paper, put a bit of brown sugar on top.  An option is to add a drizzle of thickened cream. Then bake on a tray.

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Make a ball, roll to 6 mm thick, use a shape or a kitchen glass to make biscuits, place on a baking sheet and bake.

Puff pastry

  • Place leftover puff pastry on a tray, pre-cut them in long strips and grate cheese on top, you can also add chilli, ground coriander or fresh herbs. It will make a good appetizer.
  • Another use for puff pastry leftover is to push them down a buttered muffin tin and fill with creme patissière (assuming you have some handy), egg-wash the sides, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top of the egg-wash and bake.
20160306_161301
Red current tartlet