Corn and Pepper Quiche

Corn and Pepper Quiche

Ingredients
1 Crust (recipe below)
3 ½ oz frozen corn (¾ cup)
3 ½ oz leek, white part only, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
6 oz roasted red bell pepper, chopped (see note)
4 oz roasted poblano pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 lb cheddar cheese
½ tsp Mexene chili powder

Directions

Make the crust and chill at least an hour.

Slice very thin slices of cheese to layer on the crust. This will create a barrier to prevent the crust from getting soggy when serving. Shred the remaining cheese
Sauté the corn kernels and chopped leek in the butter until tender. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Add the sautéed corn and leeks, the red and poblano pepper, shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Press the chilled Crust dough into a pie pan or tart pan to form a uniform ¼-inch crust. Bake, covered with foil and pie weights, for 15 minutes, or until firm and light golden brown. Remove Crust and Raise oven temp to 450 F.

Remove from the oven and remove weights and foil. Sprinkle with half the cheddar. Pour in the filling. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar.  Bake 15 minutes at 450 F. Reduce heat to 350, bake 20 to 30 min until the egg sets.

Makes 8 servings.

Crust Recipe:
Grind a 3 ½ oz bag of Fritos corn chips into a meal to make ¾ cup. Pulse meal, ¾ cup (3 ½ oz) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Pulse in 5 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1 egg and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Press flat and chill wrapped in plastic at least 1 hour.

Note: To roast a red pepper, hold over flame or under broiler long enough to char it all over. Transfer to a brown paper bag; seal and let it rest 10 minutes, or until it’s cool enough to handle. Peel and seed.

Glamorgan Sausages

This dish has always been vegetarian. Hailing from the country of Wales, it features cheese as the main protein ingredient as is often done in their traditional cuisine.

Ingredients:
5oz Fresh bread crumbs (remove crust and run bread through a food processor)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
5oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
4oz Green Onions or Leeks, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped Parsley
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
3 Eggs
1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2-3 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
Flour for the counter

Beat 2 eggs with Salt, Pepper, and Mustard. Mix into fresh Breadcrumbs.
Mix in Parsley, Thyme, then add Leeks/Onions and Cheese.
On a floured surface, divide mix into 8 pieces and form 1-inch-thick patties or roll into a link-sausage shape.
If you have time, chill the sausage pieces at this point for easier handling.
Beat the remaining egg, and put Panko crumbs on a plate. Dip each sausage in egg and dredge through the crumbs.
Preheat a griddle on medium heat (5 on my stove).
Melt the butter and fry sausages 5 minutes on each side, or till browned.

Mushroom Leek Soup with Wild Rice

Mushroom Leek Soup with Wild Rice

6 oz (1 cup) raw wild rice
3 cups vegetable stock
2 T oil
8 oz (2 cups) of leeks rinsed and chopped (2 large leeks or 3 small. Use white/light green parts only. Not the dark green part)
4 oz (1 cup) of carrots peeled and chopped
4 oz (1 cup) diced celery
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/2 t dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 t salt
4 dried shiitake mushrooms crumbled into small pieces (no stems)
4 oz fresh wild mushrooms rinsed and chopped (no stems)
4 cups water
3 T soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry or white vermouth
black pepper to taste

In a large pot with a lid, bring rice and 3 cups of stock to boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a soup pot and saute leeks for 5 minutes.
Add carrots, Celery, Rosemary, Thyme, Bay Leaves, Salt, Fresh Mushrooms, and Shiitake Mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes.
Stir in water, soy sauce, and sherry/vermouth.
Simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves. When rice is finished
cooking, combine soup and rice. Stir and add pepper. Serves 4 to 6