Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Greens, greens, nothing but greens! OK, and tomatoes...

This is my first recipe of the new year that features produce from my spring garden. I came in one night with a beautiful bouquet of Greens, greens, nothing but greens from the garden!  I then added a few local spring onions and greenhouse tomatoes from my veggie box this week to make a pie full of spring.  See below for a quick and flavorful quiche filled to the brim with all kinds of greens.  
Recipe:  
-1 pie shell, uncooked
-olive oil
-1/2 large onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 large bunch of greens, chopped (I used probably about 6 cups of chopped greens - kales, mustards, and spinach)
-salt and pepper
-thyme
-nutmeg
-1 bunch spring onions, chopped (about 6 onions)
-6-8 eggs, beaten
-1/2 c yogurt
-1 large tomato, sliced
-1/4-1/2 c cheese (I used cheddar here)

->  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  

Saute onions over medium heat in oil until translucent, adding garlic toward the end.  Then add greens. If they don't all fit at once, add the thicker ones first and let them cook down, and then add some of the more delicate greens (such as spinach) later in the cooking process.  Season well with thyme, salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.  I find the nutmeg takes some of the bitter taste out of the greens.  Add green onions.  Cook and mix until all greens have wilted.  

Meanwhile, add yogurt to beaten eggs and mix well.  Season well with salt and pepper.  
Pour greens mixture into pie shell.  Next, pour egg mixture over top, and give it a jiggle so that the eggs all settle into the spaces between the greens.  Finally, top with tomato slices and then cheese.  Bake until golden brown on top and eggs are set, about 30 minutes.  

~*TIP:  I make my Grandma's pie crust recipe that yields 5 single crusts.  I use whatever I need that day, and then form the rest into dough balls, wrap them in plastic, and put them in the freezer to pull out later whenever I need them.  Just pull one out a few hours before you need to use it.  Roll it out when thawed, but still chilled so that it holds together well.  I learned this trick for a pie sale fundraiser where I had to make enough crust for 50 pies ahead of time!  *~

2 comments:

  1. This looks so good! I love quiche anyway, and making it with fresh greens from a spring garden...well...nothing better! We won't be able to start planting for another month yet, but I will keep this recipe close by to try with young spring greens!

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  2. thanks! yes, i'm just starting to be able to pick some of my spring harvest... more to come!

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