Quiche Lorraine (Onion, Gruyere & Bacon)

Quiche

By Cat, Jan 2008 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

• See also: 1. Savory Pies & Tarts Menu; 2. Pie & Tart Crust or Pastry Menu; 3. Basic Quiche (About); 4. French Quiche Crust (Pâte Brisée or Rich Crust)
• Includes: 1. Quiche Lorraine (Onion, Gruyere & Bacon); 2. 1905 recipe for Quiche Lorraine

Many people consider this to be the classic quiche: onion, gruyere cheese and bacon in a custard base. But did you know that the original Quiche Lorraine (from the Alsace-Lorraine region between France and Germany) did not include cheese or bacon?

I include two recipes here.  The first is a version of what we know in America as the classic Quiche Lorraine, containing the mandatory onion, bacon and Gruyere cheese. The second is an original 1905 Quiche Lorraine (translated from grams to pounds and cups).  You will note this recipe does not include bacon nor cheese! 

About ingredients for Quiche Lorraine

See also: Basic Quiche (About)

• Eggs:  Use the freshest eggs you can find, preferably from a local farmer who allows his hens to roam pasture.
• Milk & Cream:  Good, fresh raw dairy products are also recommended, but if these are not available to you, choose non-homogenized organic milk and cream.
• Gruyere is similar to Swiss cheese, but is creamier and has more flavor.  If you cannot find it, you could use a good Swiss cheese and add a bit of grated Romano.
• Onion:  Sweet onions such as Walla Walla Sweets are best, but other onions will do.
• Bacon:  To be authentically French, you need French-style bacon, which has not been smoked.  If you cannot get this, blanch your smoked bacon to reduce the smoky flavor (see sidebar)

Onion, Gruyere & Bacon Quiche Lorraine

The filling for this recipe is adapted from one in the Daily InterLake, December 12, 2007 (I did not make note of their source), and the Quiche Lorraine served at Crepe Faire Restaurant in Portland (it is no longer in business).

The original newspaper recipe is for a low fat ‘quiche’ using turkey bacon, egg whites, evaporated skim milk and low-fat milk.  It also called for a commercial frozen pie shell.  But anyone who knows me, will anticipate that I changed these to real bacon, whole eggs, raw cream and milk; and I make my own Pâte Brisée crust (adapted from Simca’s Cuisine cookbook by Simone Beck (2)).  Alternately, you can use my whole grain pie crust for 10-inch Quiche pan, or 9″ deep dish pan recipe.

Another change I would make is to skip the use of cornstarch to thicken the custard, because I like my custard to be more creamy and less cake-like. But I include it in the recipe as an optional ingredient, and note that it should be Organic or non-GMO cornstarch to avoid GMOs.

This quiche serves 8.

Ingredients:

• Crust
• 1 recipe for 10″ French Quiche Crust (Pâte Brisée or Rich Crust) or other 10″ pie crust
• Filling:
• 6 slices of French-style bacon (not smoked), or blanched to reduce the smokey flavor; see above
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion (about 1 medium)
• 2 tsp olive oil (only if do not get enough grease from the bacon)
• 3 large fresh farm eggs (or 4 small)
• 1 ½ cups raw cream (or ¾ cup raw cream and ¾ cup raw milk for a lighter quiche)
• 2 tsp Organic or non-GMO cornstarch (optional)
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese (or 1 cup for an even richer pie)
• Equipment:
• medium bowl
• pastry blender (or pastry fork, or 2 knives)
• 10″ quiche pan or 9″ deep dish pie pan
• cheese grater
• cast iron skillet
• large bowl
• whisk

Method:

1. Crust: Make as instructed for French Quiche Crust (Pâte Brisée).
2. To pre-bake crust (optional but recommended): Prick the bottom in several places with a fork, and refrigerate to firm again before baking.  Bake in preheated 425⁰ F oven 10 – 12 minutes until crisp and very lightly colored.  Set aside to cool slightly, while you prepare the filling.
3. Prep: Place oven rack in lower third of oven.  Preheat to 425°F.
4. Cut bacon crosswise into lardons (narrow strips, about ¼” wide)
5. Heat skillet and cook lardons until just crisp.  Crumble bacon and set aside. If there is not enough bacon grease to keep the onion from sticking, add olive oil. Saute chopped onions in the skillet, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.  Stir onions into crumbled bacon and set aside to cool.
6. Assembly: Sprinkle the grated cheese over the bottom of the crust and press into the dough.
7. Sprinkle onion/bacon mixture over the crust in an even layer.
8. Whisk eggs in bowl.  Add cream (and milk, if using), cornstarch, and seasoning.  Whisk well to combine. Pour egg mixture evenly over quiche filling.
9. Bake:
   • If you pre-baked the crust, turn oven down to 350°F and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and set in the center (use a knife blade to test).
   • If you did not pre-bake the crust, leave it at 425⁰ F for the first 10 minutes, then lower to 350⁰ F and bake for additional 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and set in the center (use a knife blade to test).
   • NOTE:  If using a deep dish pan, it may take a bit more time to cook.
   • Transfer to a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

1905 Recipe for Quiche Lorraine

This recipe is quoted from A Passion for Vegetables, by Anna Gewanter (3). The crust is made free-form on a baking sheet, but you could make it in a quiche pan.  You can also add your own seasonings, cheese, bacon or other meat or seafood, and veggies to the filling.

• Crust
• 2 pounds flour
• ⅔ cup lard or butter
• 2 eggs
• salt
• dots of butter
• Filling
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt
• dots of butter

1. Crust: Mix all ingredients, crumbling them, and spread out [roll] the dough to a thickness of two 5-franc pieces [that is, very thin, about 1/8 inch thick].
2. Dot with butter and make a twisted edge al around.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 375⁰ F, and remove from the oven.
4. Filling: Beat the eggs with the cream and salt vigorously with a whisk.
5. Pour over the crust, and dot with butter all over.
6. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes on a plaque or oven dish.

References

1. Daily InterLake, December 12, 2007
2. Simca’s Cuisine by Simone Beck (see Beloved Cookbooks for more about this book)
3. A Passion for Vegetables, by Anna Gewanter (see Beloved Cookbooks for more about this book)