A Spring Quiche Dish ~ Delish!

A couple of weeks ago I purchased this charming vintage pie/quiche dish at an Indiana antique shop (see my March 15th posting, "Favorite Places"). I wanted to fill it with something appropriate for early Spring - and what better than an egg, goat cheese, and early spring onion/chive quiche! Tender spring onions have been sprouting up all over the Washington, DC area during the last few blue sky, low seventy degree days. Below is a photo I took today before gathering some in the woods behind our house. They were growing among fallen oak leaves and a limb downed in the winter winds.

Goat Cheese and Spring Onion Quiche
6 servings

1 pie shell
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 bunch fresh spring onions
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 oz soft goat cheese
1/2 tbsp butter
kosher salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the pie crust for about 10 minutes (or, if using a purchased pie crust, according to package instructions.) Cool crust while preparing the filling for the quiche, and turn oven down to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the diced sweet onion, a little salt – and pepper, if desired. Stir constantly to prevent browning, until the onion is mostly translucent - a process that will take just a few minutes. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk the three eggs briefly but vigorously to combine the yolks and whites. Set aside.

Add the cream and milk to the saucepan, keeping it over medium heat until it is very hot to the touch. Add this to the eggs, very slowly to prevent curdling. First, drizzle in a small quantity of the milk, whisking constantly. Then add a little more. When the bowl of eggs feels warm, you can (again, whisking swiftly and constantly) stir the bowlful of egg and milk into the saucepan, or you can just continue drizzling all the milk into the bowl until it is fully incorporated.

Don't chop the spring onions until you are ready to add them to the quiche. First combine them into the room temperature goat cheese, or they will float to the top of the egg mixture. Add the goat cheese/spring onions and cooked sweet onions to the pie shell, then pour the egg-and milk mixture on top.

Bake the quiche at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving, longer if you want to eat it at room temperature. If making a day or two ahead, store the quiche (once it has cooled) covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator, and allow it to reach room temperature before serving.

Serve with a salad of spring greens and pansy petals and a glass of Pinot Grigio...Cheers (to Spring)!