Vegetable Quiche, Hold the Crust

From Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown

Note: As much as I love this quiche hot, I like it even better cold out of the fridge the next day. It makes a great fast breakfast or lunch (paired with a side salad). The quiche in the picture uses broccoli, but you can make it with pretty much any kind of vegetable. Some of my favorites are roasted green chiles and Cheddar, winter squash with goat cheese, zucchini and tomato, or spinach and olive. Spreading out onions on the bottom of the quiche adds a crust-like layer and a bit of crunch.

serves 4

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, sliced into half-moons
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
• 3 to 4 cups chopped vegetables (see note below)
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup grated Cheddar or other cheese

Directions:

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Melt the butter in a cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat. (If your skillet isn’t ovenproof, transfer everything to a pie plate in Step 3 to bake it.) Add the onion slices and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over them. Cook the onions until they are golden brown and starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

3 Remove the pan from the heat and spread the onions evenly across the bottom. Spread the vegetables evenly over the onions. The dish or pan should look fairly full.

4 In a bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs lightly with the milk, cheese,1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper, just enough to break up the yolks and whites. This is a savory custard mixture. Pour the custard over the vegetables and onions and enjoy watching it fill in all the open spaces.

5 Transfer the quiche to the oven and bake for 1 hour. Once the surface is lightly brown all the way across, it’s fully cooked.

6 Let the quiche cool for about 20 minutes, then slice into wedges.

NOTE ON VEGETABLES: For hardier vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or winter squash, I suggest steaming or cooking them before adding them to the quiche to ensure they’ll be fully cooked. For tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, or any other quick-cooking vegetable, just use them fresh.