Quiche Me Quick

A few weeks ago, I was enticed by the homemade vegetable quiches lined up on sparkling glass display cases at the Rose Cafe in Venice. In the mid-’70s, James Beard called quiches “The People’s Choice.” These days, they’ve largely disappeared from our cooking repertoire.

People’s choices changed: They wanted foods with less fat. And frankly, quiches, made from eggs, cream and cheese--not to mention the pastry--didn’t fit the program.

But we don’t have to lose out on such a good dish just because of health concerns. With fewer egg yolks, half-and-half in place of heavy cream, a reduced cheese content and a bread crumb crust in place of pastry, the quiche becomes more acceptable nutritionally.

Forget the fact that it may be somewhat less of a quiche. It’s still incredibly versatile--it can be an hors d’oeuvre, a side dish (along with a salad or fresh fruit) for roast meat or cold cuts, or even a light entree on its own.

Because a quiche can be served hot, warm or at room temperature, it is well suited to informal gatherings and the buffet table. Most quiches can be prepared in advance up to the point of baking; they can even be baked completely in advance and gently reheated the next day.

It’s basically a simple formula: about 5 cups cooked vegetables mixed into a light, well-seasoned custard, with a little cheese sprinkled on top (where it pays off best, flavor-wise). This is baked until browned and set in a bread crumb crust (cornmeal, chopped nuts or crackers can be substituted for the bread crumbs).

Use either a shallow, round 6-cup-capacity baking dish or an 8-inch-square baking pan for these recipes, depending on whether you want to serve them cut in wedges or squares. A shallow two-piece metal quiche pan will not work, because in the absence of a pastry crust, the filling ingredients will leak out during baking. If you prefer to substitute pastry for the crumb crust in these recipes, be sure to bake the pastry shells 12 minutes at 425 degrees and cool before adding the filling ingredients.

Onions, potatoes, Swiss cheese and custard are a classic combination. A generous dose of freshly grated nutmeg adds the perfect edge.

CARAMELIZED RED ONION QUICHE WITH POTATOES AND SWISS CHEESE

2 1/2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

4 new red potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1/3-inch dice

4 medium red onions, peeled, halved, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon flour

3 thin slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked, crumbled

1 cup half and half

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

5 thin slices Swiss cheese

Generously grease shallow round 6-cup-capacity oven-proof dish or 8-inch-square baking pan. Coat with bread crumbs, tapping out excess. Set aside.

Heat butter in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in onions, sugar, nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Then cook, uncovered, until onions are lightly browned, but not burned, about 5 minutes more. Toss with flour. Transfer to prepared dish. Gently press down. Sprinkle on bacon.

Combine half and half, eggs, egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in food processor or with whisk until smooth. Pour over potato-onion mixture. Tap pan on counter to settle ingredients. Cover surface with cheese slices. (Can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.)

Bake at 375 degrees until lightly golden around edges, about 25 minutes. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares. Serve hot or warm. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

284 calories; 706 mg sodium; 112 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.62 gram fiber.

Broccoli makes a great base for a hearty quiche; it’s bright-looking and slightly crunchy. The stems, peeled and sliced, cook up attractively and tend to be sweeter than the florets themselves. A small amount of cumin brings out the flavor of the broccoli.

BROCCOLI QUICHE WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE

2 1/2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

1 large bunch broccoli, florets snipped, stems peeled and cut into 1/3-inch slices

1 medium onion, cut into 1/3-inch dice

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup half and half

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cayenne pepper

2 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Generously grease shallow round 6-cup-capacity oven-proof dish or 8-inch-square baking pan. Coat with bread crumbs, tapping out excess.

Bring 4 quarts salted water to boil. Add sliced broccoli stems. Cook, uncovered, until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli florets and bring to boil. Add onion. When boiling resumes, florets should be cooked but still crisp.

Drain broccoli and onion in colander and place under cold running water to preserve color. Drain well. Gently blot with paper towels. Toss with flour. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Arrange florets attractively on surface.

Combine half and half, eggs, egg whites, mustard, flour, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper to taste and whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over broccoli. Sprinkle cheese evenly over surface.

Bake at 375 degrees until lightly golden around edges, puffy and just set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

170 calories; 361 mg sodium; 95 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 1.21 grams fiber.

The spinach filling is topped with feta cheese and yogurt custard as tangy enhancements. This quiche goes well with roast chicken, lamb and ham. When using frozen spinach, I prefer to buy frozen leaf spinach and chop it coarsely in the processor, rather than using frozen chopped spinach, because it gives a better texture. Be careful not to squeeze the spinach absolutely dry after chopping it--leave just a little moisture in it. Fresh or dried tarragon would be a great addition.

SPINACH QUICHE WITH FETA CHEESE

2 1/2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

3/4 cup half and half

3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 (10-ounce) packages frozen leaf spinach, cooked, drained, squeezed almost dry

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 pound mild feta cheese, cut into 1/3-inch dice

Generously grease shallow round 6-cup-capacity oven-proof dish or 8-inch-square baking pan. Coat with bread crumbs, tapping out excess. Set aside.

Combine half and half, yogurt, eggs, egg whites, flour, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in food processor or whisk by hand until smooth. Transfer to mixing bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add spinach, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat through, about 4 minutes.

Transfer contents of skillet to processor. Add 1/2 cup yogurt-egg mixture. Process with on/off motion to coarsely chop spinach and mix ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to prepared dish. Spread smooth with spatula. Pour remainder yogurt-egg mixture evenly over. Use fork to randomly pierce through spinach for some custard to trickle down. Dot with feta cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until puffy, cheese lightly browned and custard set, about 35 minutes. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares. Serve hot or warm. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

225 calories; 689 mg sodium; 100 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 1.31 grams fiber.