Holiday Brunch, Part 2: Forgiving Quiche (Artichoke and Sun-dried Tomato)

This quiche recipe is forgiving in several ways: first, it has never failed on me, ever. It browns before it burns, it puffs up before it falls, and it never once has been watery on the bottom, as so many homemade quiche recipes can be. But it is also forgivable because it is the healthiest quiche recipe I've found, so long as you are apt to think that eggs, milk and cheese are healthy! The recipe requires no heavy cream, and only as much cheese as your palate prefers! And you can add any combination of vegetables, herbs, and meats, and it will still come out beautifully. Enjoy!

1 pie crust (I get mine at Whole Foods)
3 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 cup grated monterrey jack cheese
1 can of artichokes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

I keep my pie crust frozen until right before it goes in the oven, so start by just pre-heating the oven to 375. While the oven is heating, grate the cheese, chop the sundried tomatoes, and trim the artichokes. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and milk. Then, begin assembling the quiche by starting with the cheese; putting the cheese at the bottom is what prevents any water from the vegetables to collect underneath the crust -- you can think of it as insulation, if you will! Then add the vegetables, spacing them around evenly, and pour in your egg batter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs, and keep it in the oven for about 45 minutes to an hour. Enjoy!

Apple, Onion and Gruyere Gratin

Have mimosas with this warming, winter brunch : ) This meal is a tribute to Maureen and Daniel, who continue to encourage me to cook with butter, and to my mom, who shared this brunch with me on Thanksgiving morning.

Ingredients:
2 apples, sliced into quarters, and then into thirds
1 large onion or 2 medium onions, sliced into moon-shaped crescents (but not too thinly)
1 tablespoon of flour
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
dusting of breadcrumbs, about 1/4 cup
walnuts to taste

Begin by sauteeing onions with nutmeg and BUTTER! until the onions are half-way cooked. Set aside. Slice the apples directly into a 9 X 9 baker's dish and add the onion mixture. Mix the two together, so the apples get coated in the nutmeg-onion mixture. In a small saucier, begin your roux. Melt and brown the butter for a few moments before adding your flour. With a wisk, let the flour-butter mixture cook. When bubbly, add the cup of milk. Raise the heat to gently scald the roux without burning, and continue to wisk until the mixture thickens. At that point, lower the heat, and let the mixture summer. Now you have all the ingredients to begin layering your baking dish. Add the cheese over the apple-onion mixture, then the sauce, then the breadcrumbs and walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Warm French Lentils with Fennel and Greens

Even though we are nearing June, Boston is still windy and cold! This dish warmed me from the inside out :) Serve with focaccia and balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients:
1 cup of french lentils
3 cups of water
1 fennel bulb
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons fennel, fresh
fresh greens (escarole is Molly's suggestion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
chevre for garnishing

While the lentils are boiling, prepare the fennel. Cut the bulb in half, removing the core and slicing the bulb into moon-shaped crecents. Heat the olive oil, and sautee the garlic, ground fennel, and thyme for a few minutes. Add the fresh fennel and sautee until soft. When the lentils are cooked, drain them, and add to the fennel mixture. Add your greens of choice, and serve with cheese and bread.

Carmelized Onions, Spinach, and Walnuts with Penne

A variation of one of Molly's pasta dishes from "Simple Suppers." Served with grated parmesan, this dish has become a kind of comfort food for all seasons. Pair it with a favorite wine!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium yellow onions, sliced in moon-shaped crecents
10 ounces chopped spinach leaves
10 ounces penne pasta
1 ounce coarsely chopped walnuts

Heat the olive oil for a few minutes in a large skillet; (I use a 12" skillet). Add the onions and sautee on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to carmelize. Bring the pasta to a boil, and drain. Right before serving, add the chopped spinach and cook gently for no more than two minutes. Serve over pasta with chopped walnuts and parmesan.

Tofu Sautee with Arame and Onions

Another wonderful recipe from Molly's "Simple Suppers." She makes this dish with another Japanese sea vegetable, hijiki. Arame is a bit milder than hijiki and can be found at Whole Foods.

Ingredients:
5 ounces of firm tofu, cubed (that's about half of a tofu block)
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup arame
1 medium yellow onion, cut into moon-shaped slices
2 tablespoons shoya (or any soy sauce)
sesame seeds to taste
black pepper to taste
optional: matchstick carrots; shallots for garnish

Note: In this recipe, it's safe to sautee the tofu in a stainless steel pan -- no non-stick is necessary :). While the sauteeing certainly firms the tofu, it doesn't create a crust on the tofu or brown it to the point of sticking.

After heating up the oil, add the tofu and sautee until golden. Remove from pan. With the remaining oils in the pan, sautee the onion slices and carrots, if you're choosing to use them. When the onions are translucent and the carrots cooked, add the tofu, arame, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Stir to ensure even flavoring, and serve!

Sesame Seed Crusted Tofu on Garlic Spinach

From Molly Katzen's "Simple Suppers." She says that this recipe will get anyone to try tofu!

Ingredients:
5 ounces firm tofu, cubed (about one half of a tofu block)
4 tablespoons of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
3 cups spinach leaves, chopped

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. In the mean time, spread the sesame seeds on a flat surface, like a cutting board or a plate. Press each side of each tofu cube into the sesame seeds until the cubes are all coated. Drop each cube into the frying pan, and fry on each side. Depending on how much you are cooking, you may want to use a large pan, for each tofu cube needs its own surface area -- no stacking :) As you see the tofu browning, turn each cube onto another side until each cube is fully browned. Remove from the pan. Using the remaining oils, sautee the garlic and when golden, add spinach for about two minutes. Served with short-grain brown rice, above.

White Bean and Mushroom Ragout with Fuselli

Holding out for spring vegetables, I'm still using canned tomatoes and white beans. Adapted from Molly's "Simple Suppers" collection, this dish is full of surprising flavor.

Ingredients:
1 large onion, white or red, diced
3 garlic gloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (I love these, so I use two teaspoons!)
1 teaspoon rosemary (thyme or sage will also work)
10 ounces cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup of a dry wine, white or red
2 15-ounce cans of white beans (I like canelli)
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped basil or parsley
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan to taste

Sautee the onions and garlic until translucent, then add fennel and rosemary. While the mixture cooks, wash and cut mushrooms into 1/4" slices. Add the mushrooms and wine together, and let the sauce simmer, covered, until mushrooms are nearly cooked. Then, add white beans, tomatoes, and basil, and bring the sauce to a quick boil before letting it simmer once again. Serve over pasta, cous-cous, or any other favorite grain. Garnish with parmesan.

Eggplant-Almond Enchiladas

Made with my mama :)

Ingredients for the filling:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic gloves, minced
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 large eggplant, diced
4 tablespoons finely chopped cilatro
3/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup of monterrey jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
corn torillas
cilantro for garishing

To make the filling of the enchiladas, prepare first five ingredients. Each enchilada holds about two tablespoons of filling, so dice your eggplant and your bell pepper into 1/4" cubes, a little larger than the size of a green pea. Once everything is prepared, begin by sauteeing the onions on medium heat until translucent; add eggplant and garlic, and salt, and sautee (covered) for a few more minutes. Then add the bell peppers, black pepper, and cook until tender. Be careful not to overcook the filling because it will be baked again soon. Remove from stove and add almonds and 1/2 cup of jack cheese.

To assemble the enchiladas, ladle 1/2 cup of Mexican red sauce (also Molly's recipe -- Enchanted Broccoli Forest; will be posted this summer) into a baking dish of your choice. To prevent the corn tortillas from cracking, heat them gently in a small frying pan and immediately fill them and place them in your baker. Spoon the sauce to cover the tortillas, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees; sprinkle remaining cheese, and bake for 15 more minutes.