Out of the Box: Green Onion & Spinach Quiche

By: Amie Simon | July 13 2010
Posted in Seattle - Cook It - Seattle

I only knew two things about quiche before I tried it: first, the '80s catchphrase (from the book) "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche," and second, the B-52s song "Quiche Lorraine"–which actually isn't even about quiche.

Photo: Amie Simon

Flavorful Ingredients
This week I received a nice clump of green onions and a gorgeous bunch of spinach in my CSA delivery, so I decided to pair them both with some ham (I used Applegate Farms Organic Black Forest Ham) and local Beecher's Flagship cheese in a quiche for brunch. I added a salad of leaf lettuce and arugula from my garden, and some fresh cantaloupe on the side that also arrived in my box.

Green Onion, Spinach & Ham Quiche
(My recipe is adapted from a Waitress-themed pie I found online)

1 tbsp. butter
4-5 green onions
1 bunch spinach
4-5 deli-slices of ham (you can also used cubed)
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup Beecher's Flagship cheese
1 tbsp. finely grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 tsp. Herbes de Provence
Salt & pepper
1 pie crust

Prep work
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then chop green onions into thin slices using both white and green parts. Cut ham into strips, and tear spinach into smaller pieces, removing most of the stems. Melt butter in a large saucepan and sauté all ingredients with salt & pepper for 5 to 6 minutes, until onions are browned and spinach has wilted.

Building the quiche
Beat eggs in large mixing bowl until fluffy, then add heavy cream and Herbs de Provence. Stir until combined. Layer veggies and ham on the bottom of your pie crust (I sometimes take the time to make my own, but usually I use a good frozen option, like the ones made by Wholly Wholesome™), pile the Beecher's cheese on top, then add a little salt & pepper and sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the surface.

The egg mixture should just cover the layers—it's okay if you can still see some of the ingredients poking out of the top of your dish. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. When the quiche looks a puffy and browned, it's done! Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Photo: Amie Simon

Other great combinations
I've made quiche using smoked ham & Gruyere cheese; zucchini and mozzarella; bacon, chard and Swiss; and turkey and white cheddar. It's easy to get creative with the ingredients. Quiche also serves well the next day; just put your leftovers in the fridge and reheat for a few minutes.