Best Quiche Lorraine by Jeannette Tomanka
An almost-classic Quiche Lorraine, but I've added a couple of twists to make this slightly richer, with a beautiful, subtle flavor. You won't want to miss my tips on making this in healthier versions, too!
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie shell
- 6 slices crispy cooked bacon
- 1 cup grated gouda cheese
- ½ cup sliced, sauteed shallots
- 4 eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 ½ cups light cream, or half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. If using a frozen pie shell, you may want to poke it some with a fork, weigh it down with some dry beans, and cook it for 8 minutes in order to help insure that the bottom will be cooked instead of gummy. Gently wrap a strip of aluminum foil around the top edge of the pie shell that will not be submerged in the filling -- this will help insure that the crust does not overcook.
- Mix the eggs, light cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg using a whisk, and set aside.
- Alternate sprinkling layers of the shallots, bacon and gouda cheese into the pie shell until it is all in there.
- Carefully and slowly pour the egg mixture over the shallots/bacon/gouda until the shell is filled.
- Place the filled pie shell into the preheated oven on a middle shelf, and allow to cook for 40 minutes. Remove the strips of aluminum foil protecting the edge of the pie shell about 5 minutes before it has finished cooking. Check to see if it is done by shaking the pie pan very gently -- if the center of the pie still jiggles, leave it another 5 minutes and repeat. Once it is set, you may want to carmelize the top a little more by turning on the broiler for about 3 minutes. You will neet to watch the quiche like a hawk to make sure it does not overcook if you do this step!
Notes
To make the recipe with much lower carbs, use a pie shell made from almond flour -- the flavor profile is preserved and very equivalent!
To make Vegetarial Quiche Lorraine, you just need to substitute out the bacon with your favorite Vegan bacon.
It is possible to make the recipe healthier by leaving out the salt, and using just whole milk instead of the cream. This may require a little longer cooking time to set. Some cookes also blend some cornstarch with milk to make it thicker, and you would not then need to increase cooking time.
I have also tried substituting a mixture of soy milk blended with silken tofu for the cream. Honestly, the flavor begins to degrade at this point, and it requires longer cooking time. I tend to think quiche is a dish that really requires real eggs with real milk or cream and real cheese.