Egg Dish for a Fast, Elegant Lunch

Sometimes you have to get lunch on the table fast. And sometimes--when special friends drop by unannounced--that lunch has to be elegant.

You could, of course, simply shove a commercially frozen upscale entree into the microwave. We’ve all done that more times than we’d care to admit. But how much better to stir something up from scratch and let your microwave trim cooking time to about half an hour or even less. Our Low Country Egg Pie, a great favorite around Charleston, S.C., and our French Flamiche fill the bill nicely. Both of them are as easy as one-two-three. And as elegant as all get-out.

Both are delicate mixtures set with eggs and should be treated like all egg dishes--gently. In the microwave, this means microwaving on MEDIUM (50% power), once the eggs are added. If you use HIGH (100% power), the protein in the eggs will toughen and shrink and you’ll end up with a curdled filling.

You’ll find our Flamiche very much like a quiche, only better. In Burgundy it’s made with top and bottom crusts. But since the microwave does a poor job of browning pastry, we’ve worked out this delicate one-crust version.

Whether you serve Low Country Egg Pie as the entree of your special lunch or Flamiche, you need only add a crisp green salad and fruit dessert to round out the meal. Talk about easy.

LOW COUNTRY EGG PIE

4 slices firm-textured white bread, trimmed of crusts

1 cup milk

2/3 cup half and half

1 cup coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons finely grated onion

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped

Paprika

Soak bread in milk and half and half 5 minutes. Combine with cheeses, onion, eggs, mustard, salt, cayenne and white pepper. Fold in hard-cooked eggs.

Spoon into 9-inch round, 1 1/2-quart microwave-safe casserole. Sprinkle with paprika.

Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM (50% power) 18 to 21 minutes, rotating casserole 90 degrees every 4 minutes, until just set. Tiny moist area in center will dry on standing. To test for doneness, insert knife midway between rim and center. If knife comes out clean, pie is done.

Cover pie with foil and let stand 5 to 7 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Makes 4 servings.

FLAMICHE (Burgundian Leek Pie)

1 1/2 pounds leeks (each about 1 inch in diameter), trimmed, washed well and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 tablespoon butter (no substitute)

1 1/4 cups coarsely shredded Gruyere cheese

1 (9-inch) baked pie shell in microwave-safe pie plate

1 cup half and half

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Place leeks in 2-quart microwave-safe casserole and dot with butter. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH (100% power) 9 to 10 minutes, stirring at half time, until soft but not mushy.

If casserole liquid hasn’t evaporated, drain leeks well. Toss cheese with leeks, spread evenly in pie shell and set aside.

Microwave half and half in wax paper-covered, microwave-safe 1-quart measure on HIGH (100% power) 2 3/4 to 3 minutes until steaming. Do not boil.

Slowly mix half and half into eggs. Blend in salt and pepper and pour into pie shell.

Place on turntable and center on microwave oven shelf. If neither turntable nor shelf is available, elevate pie on inverted shallow bowl and rotate 90 degrees every 4 minutes as pie microwaves.

Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM (50% power) 16 to 19 minutes until knife inserted 1 inch from center comes out clean. Soft 1-inch circle in center of pie will set on standing.

Tent pie with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Note: In ovens of less than 600 watts, increase cooking times about 15%.