Bite Of Minnesota: Swiss Chard Quiche
As I've mentioned before, one of the ways I get inspiration and ideas for my meals is by shopping. Whether it's the farmers market, the co-op, or the grocery store, just looking at fresh produce starts the wheels turning in my head. Similar to what happened when I picked up some kale a couple weeks ago, I couldn't resist the call from a particularly large bunch of deep green and vibrant red Swiss chard.
This time I knew exactly what I wanted to make with the chard (a quiche), so I got to work making the pie crust, using this recipe as a guide. I substituted half the butter with shortening and loved the results. Then I chopped the chard, sautéed it with onions and garlic, and it reduced to this:
Amazing how much it wilts when cooking! After letting it cool a bit, the unbaked pie crust was filled with the chard mixture, eggs, and sharp cheddar cheese and put into the oven to bake until firm.
It makes for a delicious dinner that I usually serve alongside a lightly dressed salad. This time however, I tossed pan-roasted zucchini with a few pinches of the Exotic Blend from Chef Sameh Wadi's Spice Trail collection and found it to be a flavorful pairing.
Swiss Chard Quiche Pie
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons oil
1 bunch Swiss Chard, roughly chopped, stems discarded
8 eggs
1 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 pie crust
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown onion and garlic in oil. Trim and chop chard leaves, add to pan, and cook until wilted. Allow to cool slightly. Beat eggs in a bowl; mix in cheese, salt, and chard mixture. Pour into pie crust and bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.
