Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [31]
1 large leek (about 1 pound), root end and dark green leaves discarded, thinly sliced and cleaned
1 cup sour cream
1½ cups whole milk
1½ cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Using the cooking spray, grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Grease a large sheet of parchment paper with the softened butter and cut it into pieces to fit the bottom and sides of the pan (one circle and one long rectangle). Line the pan with the parchment paper, buttered side up.
3. Whisk 1 egg in a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt, ½ teaspoon of the white pepper, and the pinch of cayenne.
4. Set a box grater on a clean kitchen towel. Grate the potatoes on the large holes of the grater onto the towel. Gather the ends of the towel up around the grated potatoes, hold it over the sink, and squeeze to release the excess moisture from the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to another clean towel and squeeze again. You may need to do this in batches.
5. When the potatoes are dry, add them and the melted butter to the egg mixture and toss to combine. Pat the potato mixture evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake until golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Brush some of the beaten egg white all over the potato crust to seal any cracks. Set the crust aside to cool for at least 5 minutes (leave it on the baking sheet for easier transporting). Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
6. Add the bacon to a small skillet and set over medium heat. Cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and reserve. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan.
7. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. When the butter has melted, add the leek, ½ teaspoon of the remaining salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the remaining white pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until the leek is soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
8. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 6 eggs with the sour cream, milk, cream, thyme, green onion, grated cheddar, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne until smooth. Add the bacon and leek and stir to combine. Carefully ladle the filling into the potato crust. The filling may come up past the edges of the crust, depending on how high you pressed the potato crust—if so, don’t worry.
9. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and cook for 25 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back and continue to cook until the quiche is nearly set in the center, about 25 minutes longer. It will continue to set as it cools. Remove the quiche from the oven and set aside at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
8 servings
EGGS FLORENTINE
This is a favorite for brunch at my house. It is so simple to put together that you could almost do it in your sleep. The creamed spinach can be made the day before and spooned into the casserole dish, leaving you with the simple task of cracking a few eggs, sprinkling with breadcrumbs, and popping it in the oven. Voilà—brunch!
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 pounds baby spinach
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, cubed
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
6 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach, little by little, stirring and adding more spinach as the previous addition has wilted, until all the spinach has wilted. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the white pepper and place the spinach in a colander over a bowl to drain.