Quiche aux Bruxelles

By TheWimpyVegetarian • October 30, 2009 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: I don't just love the taste of brussels sprouts, I also love how they look. They hold their shape (mostly) during almost every cooking method which reminds me of people who look great at the end of a long working day, no matter what they faced at work. (Not like me, trust me.) Last night I started wondering what they would look like on top of a quiche, all displayed in their loveliness, like little poplar trees. So I made these little quiche-tarts this morning for breakfast using a tart crust recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbook, "The Pie and Pastry Bible". So they're not just for dinner now. Tip: I bake my tarts on a baking stone that's been preheated in the oven for about an hour. - TheWimpyVegetarian

Makes 8 tartlets

Tart Shell

4 ounces unsalted butter, very cold
6.5 ounces all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 tablespoons ice water
1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375 with a baking stone. Mix dry ingredients in a food processor to evenly distribute the baking powder and salt in the flour.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Add water and vinegar and pulse only a few times until it looks like very coarse cornmeal.
Check the dough by pinching it. If it holds together when pinched, you're done. The dough should not be starting to pull together into a ball in the bowl. This is a sign you've mixed it too much.
Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Remove from the refrigerator and roll out. Fill your tart pans, dock with a fork and chill for another minimum 30 minutes.
Fill with pie weights and bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. See aside to cool.

Quiche filling

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 yellow onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
2-3 pieces bacon, cut into lardons
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
8 brussels sprouts
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (or more to sprinkle on top)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Saute onions and fennel seed in olive oil until the onions are a deep golden brown. Set aside. Saute bacon until crisp. Set aside. Slice the brussels sprouts in thin slices. Set aside.
Whisk eggs and milks together in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper.
When the tart shells come out of the oven, increase the oven temperature to 450F.
Assemble the tarts. Lay the onions and fennel seed in the bottom topped with the bacon. Arrange the brussels sprouts on the top in a pattern. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the filling. Bake at 450F for 10 minutes and reduce the heat to 350F for 5 minutes. Spread a little grated cheese on top in the middle of each tart and bake another 10 minutes at 350F.
Remove from oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting.