I make quiches fairly frequently. They need to be deep to be satisfying. Diana Henry’s Crab (and Tomato) tart from How to Eat a Peach works and is tasty as long as brown crab is included. I tried a proper French Quiche Lorraine recipe by the Roux Brothers but it was too, too rich. It used egg yolks galore.
I still make Stephen's pan fried scallops with sun dried tomato risotto and sun dried tomato pesto recipe that appeared in Great British Chefs 2 in 1995 regularly. I usually substitute the scallops with something a bit cheaper though. The risotto is great by itself too.
My favourite cookery book is my 1982 edition of Delia Smith's Basic Cookery Course. I make flans and quiches quite often but only recently discovered the following 2 in that book:- A thick Onion tart; and, Sour Cream and leek flan. Following Delia's recipes to the letter means the bottom pastry is always crisp and the filling is the right amount of the dishes. As my husband is lactose intolerant, I have made both using plant based milk/cream. Totally yummy and delicious.
The last quiche I made turns out to be over two years ago. It was pancetta and slow roasted tomato (I must have done those in the oven myself rather than buying them) based on Pierre Koffmann's recipe from his BBC Maestro course. It turned out beautifully and I would use the recipe again. The only odd thing was that he is against leaving an overhang of pastry when you blind bake the case to prevent shrinkage which he says is 'stupid'. Instead, he lines the tin with the pastry, trims it so that's its level with the edge of the tin and then squeezes the top of the pastry all the way around so that it stands proud by a few millimetres. Then, if there's any shrinkage the pastry is still level with the tin. I followed the instructions and it did work but the top of the tart is thinner than the rest so I think I would go back to the overhang which I first picked up from White Heat by Marco. Maybe that's why Koffmann doesn't like it!
I make quiches often! A classic bacon one with lots of eggs and sometimes I add cheese ( depending on who it’s for). For me, it’s a basic family meal with new potatoes and salad or broccoli. I use a 23 cm fluted tin and the recipe for the pastry is the one I always use: 250g flour, 125 g butter, tsp salt, 4 tbsp of ice cold water and one egg yolk. I use the egg white to seal the base after pricking it, lining with paper and adding baking beans. 10 minutes at 180 then take off paper for another 10, reseal and add the filling. Adult kids text me to ask if I can make it when they come home for a weekend. I have no idea how many I’ve made in the 50 years I’ve been cooking as an adult but it’s a great many. It’s too big for just the two of us though I don’t mind leftovers for lunch
Re NI; I’m sure you probably have a packed schedule already but if you do need any inspiration, the Substack of John & Sally McKenna, the Irish Stew, has suggestions for places in NI…
I think the oldest cookbook I own is a copy of Good Housekeeping’s Cookery Conpendium published in 1956. I found it in a second hand bookshop in Whitstabe ( sadly now gone post pandemic). I purchase it because my mother kept one in her kitchen when we were children.
I can’t find a recipe for a specific quiche but there were recipes for a cheese and onion pie and a cheese and asparagus flan. Look at the 1950’s advert for a refrigerator!
A quiche’s height of popularity like the prawn cocktail was definitely the 70s. But when did I start? Probably when I began to mix with middle class students in the 70s I imagine.
A quiche is my go to for lunches. They always taste so much better than a shop one. My kids love them (maybe not the veggie ones). Have done many different variants. An old fav is actually Rosie Birkett’s crab, leek and Comte (think she did it as part of a wine promo). It feels super fancy to serve to friends x
Quiche is often a wonderful way to use up a few fridge leftovers & luckily I'm chicken sitting this weekend, so I'm off to collect the eggs and I'll be back later in the week with my recipe 😀
Quiche one of those things that I never quite like the thought of, but always enjoy the eating of! Mum-in-law used to make a good one. Yours looks rather wonderful.
Perhaps I rather did it down. Was frustrated that the pastry fell short but should have followed my instinct and increased the quantity! Basically a nice recipe
I make quiche regularly, based on a recipe in Delicious magazine (which I have tweaked a bit) which uses milk in the filling rather than cream which I find makes it less rich and good for a weekday supper. It does take a bit of time though - making pastry is the easy bit, but by the time you have baked it blind, then baked it, and then let it rest for 10-15 mins it’s not the quickest supper!
It’s not and I think the key is that you make it regularly. As I was making the smoked haddock quiche I was thinking how daunting it must be for a less experienced cook! Not specifically that recipe - any quiche!
Re Northern Ireland: Ox restaurant in Belfast - beautiful food and 5 - 10 min from city airport, Lir in Coleraine, Harry’s Shack on Portstewart beach, Broughgammon Farm, Ursa Minor bakery, Morellis ice cream in Ballycastle, drive from Ballycastle to the beautiful Murlough Bay and then on via the “hold your breath” winding, coastal cliff Torr road drive to Cushendun. You will need a glass of Guinness at Mary McBrides pub in Cushendun after that drive. And the Giants Causeway, Bushmills distillery and don’t miss the Cullen Skink at the Bushmills Inn. Just gorge but bring a rain jacket to dodge the rain showers. You will love Northern Ireland and the special Causeway coast and the Glens of Antrim
Simon Hopkinson's quiche-like Crab Tart from his book Roast Chicken and Other Stories is outstanding especially if you use more crab brown meat than he suggests. A friend who makes this beautifully omits the tomato base fearing the acidity clash with fine white Burgundy and sweats leek instead for the base. But the best quiche I've ever eaten for which I don't possess the recipe was made by Shaun Hill 15 years ago or so in a hotel near Bournemouth!
I make quiches fairly frequently. They need to be deep to be satisfying. Diana Henry’s Crab (and Tomato) tart from How to Eat a Peach works and is tasty as long as brown crab is included. I tried a proper French Quiche Lorraine recipe by the Roux Brothers but it was too, too rich. It used egg yolks galore.
Adore a crab quiche! My friend Stephen Markwick in Bristol used to make a great one!
I still make Stephen's pan fried scallops with sun dried tomato risotto and sun dried tomato pesto recipe that appeared in Great British Chefs 2 in 1995 regularly. I usually substitute the scallops with something a bit cheaper though. The risotto is great by itself too.
My favourite cookery book is my 1982 edition of Delia Smith's Basic Cookery Course. I make flans and quiches quite often but only recently discovered the following 2 in that book:- A thick Onion tart; and, Sour Cream and leek flan. Following Delia's recipes to the letter means the bottom pastry is always crisp and the filling is the right amount of the dishes. As my husband is lactose intolerant, I have made both using plant based milk/cream. Totally yummy and delicious.
Honestly you can’t go wrong with Delia!
The last quiche I made turns out to be over two years ago. It was pancetta and slow roasted tomato (I must have done those in the oven myself rather than buying them) based on Pierre Koffmann's recipe from his BBC Maestro course. It turned out beautifully and I would use the recipe again. The only odd thing was that he is against leaving an overhang of pastry when you blind bake the case to prevent shrinkage which he says is 'stupid'. Instead, he lines the tin with the pastry, trims it so that's its level with the edge of the tin and then squeezes the top of the pastry all the way around so that it stands proud by a few millimetres. Then, if there's any shrinkage the pastry is still level with the tin. I followed the instructions and it did work but the top of the tart is thinner than the rest so I think I would go back to the overhang which I first picked up from White Heat by Marco. Maybe that's why Koffmann doesn't like it!
Ha! Perfectly possible! I’ve tried both techniques and marginally prefer the pressing up method but it depends a bit on the pastry
I make quiches often! A classic bacon one with lots of eggs and sometimes I add cheese ( depending on who it’s for). For me, it’s a basic family meal with new potatoes and salad or broccoli. I use a 23 cm fluted tin and the recipe for the pastry is the one I always use: 250g flour, 125 g butter, tsp salt, 4 tbsp of ice cold water and one egg yolk. I use the egg white to seal the base after pricking it, lining with paper and adding baking beans. 10 minutes at 180 then take off paper for another 10, reseal and add the filling. Adult kids text me to ask if I can make it when they come home for a weekend. I have no idea how many I’ve made in the 50 years I’ve been cooking as an adult but it’s a great many. It’s too big for just the two of us though I don’t mind leftovers for lunch
Exactly my point. The Day-Lewis method only uses 120g of flour which just isn’t enough for a 22cm tin. I would normally use 250g or 220g too
I'm curious; why don't you need to blind bake if you have an Aga ?
Because of the intensity of the heat on the oven floor
Ah. Thank you.
Who remembers the Galloping Gourmet?
I do!!
My mum and me loved him! Wonder what happened to him
Re NI; I’m sure you probably have a packed schedule already but if you do need any inspiration, the Substack of John & Sally McKenna, the Irish Stew, has suggestions for places in NI…
They’re absolutely brilliant - I subscribe to their Stack 🙏
I hope you have a lovely time and that the weather isn’t miserable. I hope to see all the places you end up on your Instagram.
Well it’s only a flying visit and mainly about food but there will be some recs for sure!
And lots of other places in Ireland too
I’m a Robert Carier chap
I’m with you there! Loved his recipes!
Loved his TV programme.
I think the oldest cookbook I own is a copy of Good Housekeeping’s Cookery Conpendium published in 1956. I found it in a second hand bookshop in Whitstabe ( sadly now gone post pandemic). I purchase it because my mother kept one in her kitchen when we were children.
I can’t find a recipe for a specific quiche but there were recipes for a cheese and onion pie and a cheese and asparagus flan. Look at the 1950’s advert for a refrigerator!
Well a cheese and onion pie would definitely qualify if you felt like making one!
The second hand book shop in Whitstable is now on the London bound platform of the station … least I hope it still is ! Smaller but brilliant !
That’s fantastic news. Thank you so much for sharing.
When I was a child it was called an egg and bacon flan. I don’t know when I started calling it a quiche.
Well Real Men don’t eat Quiche Was published in 1982 so 70s I guess?
A quiche’s height of popularity like the prawn cocktail was definitely the 70s. But when did I start? Probably when I began to mix with middle class students in the 70s I imagine.
A quiche is my go to for lunches. They always taste so much better than a shop one. My kids love them (maybe not the veggie ones). Have done many different variants. An old fav is actually Rosie Birkett’s crab, leek and Comte (think she did it as part of a wine promo). It feels super fancy to serve to friends x
there's something about a crab quiche, I agree. Haven't tried Rosie's but I must.
Quiche is often a wonderful way to use up a few fridge leftovers & luckily I'm chicken sitting this weekend, so I'm off to collect the eggs and I'll be back later in the week with my recipe 😀
That sounds a good pastime! Look forward to the recipe!
Yes I will try the tomato peppers tart. Love your site it seems to bring together food and drink so we’ll.
Thanks Chris and yes, do try the tart
Quiche one of those things that I never quite like the thought of, but always enjoy the eating of! Mum-in-law used to make a good one. Yours looks rather wonderful.
Perhaps I rather did it down. Was frustrated that the pastry fell short but should have followed my instinct and increased the quantity! Basically a nice recipe
I make quiche regularly, based on a recipe in Delicious magazine (which I have tweaked a bit) which uses milk in the filling rather than cream which I find makes it less rich and good for a weekday supper. It does take a bit of time though - making pastry is the easy bit, but by the time you have baked it blind, then baked it, and then let it rest for 10-15 mins it’s not the quickest supper!
It’s not and I think the key is that you make it regularly. As I was making the smoked haddock quiche I was thinking how daunting it must be for a less experienced cook! Not specifically that recipe - any quiche!
Sorry I don’t think I can add photos to my comment- that’s a shame
No, not to a comment but you could post on instagram or email me if you like? Fionabeckett@substack.com
Will email you Fiona
Re Northern Ireland: Ox restaurant in Belfast - beautiful food and 5 - 10 min from city airport, Lir in Coleraine, Harry’s Shack on Portstewart beach, Broughgammon Farm, Ursa Minor bakery, Morellis ice cream in Ballycastle, drive from Ballycastle to the beautiful Murlough Bay and then on via the “hold your breath” winding, coastal cliff Torr road drive to Cushendun. You will need a glass of Guinness at Mary McBrides pub in Cushendun after that drive. And the Giants Causeway, Bushmills distillery and don’t miss the Cullen Skink at the Bushmills Inn. Just gorge but bring a rain jacket to dodge the rain showers. You will love Northern Ireland and the special Causeway coast and the Glens of Antrim
Sorry, only just picked this up. Great list! Was only there for a couple of days but hopefully next time I'll have more time.
Simon Hopkinson's quiche-like Crab Tart from his book Roast Chicken and Other Stories is outstanding especially if you use more crab brown meat than he suggests. A friend who makes this beautifully omits the tomato base fearing the acidity clash with fine white Burgundy and sweats leek instead for the base. But the best quiche I've ever eaten for which I don't possess the recipe was made by Shaun Hill 15 years ago or so in a hotel near Bournemouth!