Rainbow Swiss Chard Quiche

rainbow swiss chard quiche

Nothing brightens up my garden like rainbow Swiss chard. Their dark ruby- red and Canary yellow stalks keep their colour even after being cooked, therefore they earn the best spot in the garden every year along a highly trafficked pathway. What a special way to welcome guests to our front door. They are temptations like those found in a candy store, but thankfully they are healthy ones. Rainbow swiss chard can be cooked the same way as spinach. Bake, sauté, boil, steam and eat as much as you want. They won’t give you a sugar rush!

 Rainbow Swiss Chard

When I have an abundance of chard, I normally store it for winter. Or if you do succession sowing during summer months, at the latest in early August, the chard can stay in your garden with a protection in the Lower Mainland area (plant hardiness zone 8) all winter long.

Swiss chard stalks

If you store the abundance, just blanch in boiling water for about 2 minutes, dunk in cold water and squeeze out the excess moisture. Then, cut into an inch length and freeze in a plastic bag in a small portion. You can throw chard into lasagna, stew, soup, or pie etc., and it is indeed one of my favourite items for our macaroni and cheese dish in winter months because it’s flavours are reminiscent of summer memories.

Rainbow Swiss ChardRainbow Swiss chard stalksRainbow Swiss chardchard and baconrainbow swiss chard quicherainbow swiss chard quiche

Rainbow Swiss Chard Quiche

Makes 9-inch pie dish (I use an Emile Henry 9 inch fluted pie dish)

Dough

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vinegar

Ice water

Extra butter and flour for the pie dish

Filling

6 slices bacon strips

5 stalks rainbow Swiss chard, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

3 big leaves of rainbow Swiss chard, chopped into thin strips

A sprig of thyme

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

5 eggs + 1 egg white

1 cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

¾ cup Gruyère cheese, shuredded

Butter the pan and dust with some flour, then remove excess flour. Keep it refrigerated.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with salt. Place the butter and the flour mixture in a food processor, and pulse until fine crumbles form, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary (you can do this by using a pastry blender or 2 knives in a large bowl). In a measuring cup, whisk the egg yolk with vinegar and add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup. Drizzle over dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together into a ball. Gently press the ball into a disk, wrap with a piece of plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until chilled.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Fold twice gently, transfer to a prepared pie dish and unfold to cover the dish leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edge inside the rim and flute if using a pie dish. Prick all over with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line the pie shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the bottom third of the oven until the rim is light golden for about 15 minutes.

Remove weights and parchment paper, then let cool on a rack.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Drain fat from the pan. Sauté the chard and thyme until softened about 3 to 4 minutes, and add salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and cream. Crumble the bacon and add to the egg mixture along with the chard.

Brush mustard over the pie shell and sprinkle with the Gruyère cheese evenly. Pour in the egg mixture.

Bake in the centre of a 375F oven for about 35 minutes, or until cooked. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve immediately (if you would like to make ahead, let cool, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat in a 350F oven for about 20 minutes).

Dough recipe adapted from Canadian Living Magazine

rainbow swiss chard quiche

Summer Weekends Meal Ideas

fried eggs with chorizo and glazed carrots

Sunny days are back and so is my watering routine. My plants are growing at an overwhelmingly fast pace, and it is hard to capture everything unfolding in the garden, kitchen and on the table. Literally, we have too many vegetables to cook up, consume (never mind digesting) and store.

fried eggs with chorizo and glazed carrots

Stalks of broad beans were drooping with their swelling weight (need to be harvested), carrots became the perfect size to be eaten as a finger food (need to be eaten), Swiss chard plants are wilting under the persistent sunbeams (need water)… then I got stung by a wasp as I was dead-heading marigolds (needed nothing but to keep moving to overcome the prickly sensation). When I tried to rest in the fragrant area of dahlia and sweet peas, my eyes became fixed on the weeds among the onions. Before I knew it, I was crouching down to pluck them and continue working … this is indeed a gardener’s life. Therefore, we try to take time to slow down a bit on weekends by enjoying hearty meals. Here’s what we’ve been enjoying…

carrotfried eggs with chorizo and glazed carrotsquinoa salad with broad beans broad beans, jasmine, a LabradorLimoncello drinkudon salad with summer vegetablescherriescherry and chocolate almond tartcherry and chocolate almond tart

Breakfast with Fried Eggs, Chorizo and Glazed Carrots

In this recipe, young thin carrots work best. If you are skipping chorizo, add salt to balance the flavour of the carrots.

Serves 2

2 tablespoons olive oil

A bunch of carrots, cut in half lengthwise if thick

½ cup water

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons grain mustard

4 eggs, cooked to your preference

1 medium sized spicy chorizo, sliced

Freshly ground pepper

Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat with the olive oil. Sautee the carrots until lightly browned. Add the water, honey, and mustard and turn the heat down. Stir well to cover the carrots evenly and cook until carrots are softened and the liquid bubbles.

Rinse the pan quickly with hot water and heat over medium high heat. Fry the chorizo, then add eggs and cook until eggs are done. Adjust with the pepper and serve immediately with the carrots.

More recipes for carrots here.

 

Broad Bean and Fresh Lime Juice Quinoa Salad

There is no need to be precise in this recipe. Simply add any amount of vegetables and cheese you like, and adjust the flavour with the lime juice to your taste. This is one of the easiest and quickest meals in my kitchen, full of nutritious goodness.

Serves 3-4

½ cup red quinoa

½ cup white quinoa

2 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

Broad beans, shell removed

Carrot, thinly sliced

Red onion, chopped finely

Feta cheese, cut into ½ inch pieces

A handful of raw cashews

Fennel leaves

Salt and pepper

¼ cup or more extra virgin olive oil

Fresh juice of 2 limes

Salt and pepper

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove the saponin, and drain well. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. If you are using water instead of the stock, add some salt to the boiling water. Add the quinoa. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for about 12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. Remove the lid and let cool.

In a small pan, boil water and cook the broad beans for about 3 minutes. Discard the cooking water, dunk the beans in cold water and remove the thin skin from each bean.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, broad beans, carrot, onion and cheese. Stir in the quinoa and adjust with salt and pepper.

Serve on a platter or in individual bowls, and scatter with the cashews and fennel leaves. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

More recipes for quinoa here.

 

Limoncello and Lime Drink

Ice cubes

A little bit of Limoncello

A slice of lime

A dash of fresh lime juice

Carbonated water

Combine all the ingredients in a chilled glass. Sit back, tootsies up and enjoy the moment.

 

Shiso Udon Noodle Salad

Serves 3-4

Broad beans, shell removed

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 each of yellow and small green zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup purslane, washed, pat dried and cut into small pieces

A few shiso leaves, cut into thin strips with cooking scissors

2 bundles dry udon noodles, one bundle size of a dollar

2 tablespoons soba sauce (recipe here)

2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil or flax oil

Place water in a large pot and bring to a boil. In the meantime, in a small pan, boil water and cook the broad beans for about 3 minutes. Discard the cooking water, dunk the beans in cold water and remove the thin skin from each bean.

Cook the udon noodles according to the instructions on the packaging. In the meantime, prepare the vegetables.

Using a colander, drain the noodles well. Rinse with cold water and drain completely. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the broad beans, scallions, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, purslane, soba sauce and the oil. Transfer the noodles to a large platter and sprinkle with shiso leaves over top. Serve immediately.

 

Cherry and Chocolate Almond Tart

Makes one 13 1/2” x 4” rectangular tart pan

Tart dough

60g butter, room temperature

60g sugar

½ egg, lightly beaten

110g white flour

20g cocoa powder

Extra butter and flour for the pan

Almond chocolate cream

100g butter

70g sugar

1½ eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

100g ground almond

100g dark chocolate, cut into small pieces

250g cherries, pitted and halved

A handful of sliced almonds

Caster sugar for dusting

Butter the pan and dust with some flour, then remove excess flour. Keep it refrigerated.

Make the tart dough. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder then set aside. Place the butter in a food processor and pulse until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the sugar and continue to pulse until fluffy. Add the egg and pulse to blend. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together into a ball. Gently press the ball into a disk, wrap with a piece of plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Flour the working surface and roll the dough with a rolling pin to a size large enough to cover the pan. It could be as thin as 1/8 to 1/16 and that is okay. If it is difficult to manage, roll the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper. Transfer the dough by rolling it around the pin and unrolling onto the pan. Gently fit the dough into the bottom and up the sides with your fingers. Run the pin across the top of the pan to remove the excess dough. If there are tears or a part is too thin, just patch with the excess dough. Keep refrigerated.

Melt the chocolate in a medium sized bowl placed over a small pan with simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.

Preheat the oven to 350F (320F with the convection). Make the almond chocolate cream. In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy, then add the sugar. Continue until fluffy, then add the eggs and combine well. Add the vanilla, ground almond and chocolate, and stir well.

Pour the almond chocolate cream in the tart evenly. Place the cherries evenly across the tart. Bake for about 40 minutes or until done.

Let cool on a rack. Scatter with the sliced almonds over top and dust with the caster sugar.

More tart recipes here.

coffee

Rhubarb Tart

rhubarb tart

When I can harvest just the right amount of stalks from my rhubarb plants for baking, when a peach tree on the south wall of our house starts blooming and the blossoms of our ‘Beauty’ plum tree start giving off their sweet scent, that is when I know that warm weather has truly arrived in my garden.

rhubarb, tart dough and pastry cream

I long for those vibrant red stalks all winter, dreaming of the many desserts I will make with them in the upcoming months. Crisps, cobblers, pies, stews, tarts, jam…the rest is up to your imagination. However, rhubarb is also an urban gardener’s dilemma.

rhubarb tartrhubarb plant

Rhubarb plants grow slowly in the beginning of the season, which can really test your patience, at least mine! I just have to quietly watch them grow until they are tall enough to be harvested. But two years ago, I wasn’t patient enough to wait for harvesting so instead of waiting, I planted five plants! Once the real heat came, there was no way to catch up with the speed of the rhubarb plant’s growth; I was left feeling overwhelmed and even guilty about not being able to utilize all of mother nature’s seasonal treat. In addition, the huge leaves of the rhubarb plants overly shaded the other vegetables in the garden! No wonder we weren’t excited to have a rhubarb dessert by midsummer, since the shelves in our pantry were filled with bottles of rhubarb jam and our freezer was packed with bags of frozen rhubarb slices even after the new growth emerged the following season! Unless you have a strip of unused land, I would suggest planting just one! This experience taught me that being patient is a part of gardening’s delight.

official inspectors in my gardenCherry trees at Kitsilano beach, VancouverCherry blossomsStar magnoliaStar magnoliaStar magnoliarhubarb tartrhubarb tart

Rhubarb Tart

For the dough, I halved the below recipe, taken from my favourite book, Desserts by Pierre Hermé, and used two 13 1/2” x 4” rectangular tart pans. The vanilla pastry cream recipe quantity is just the perfect amount to fill these two tarts pans.

Sweet Tart Dough

Makes enough for three 10 ¼-inch or four 8 3/4 –inch tarts

2 ½ sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

½ cup (lightly packed) ground blanched almonds

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla bean pulp or ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

To make the dough in a mixer

Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on low speed until creamy. Add the sugar, almonds, salt, vanilla, and eggs and, still working on low speed, beat to blend the ingredients, scraping down the paddle and the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough may look curdled- that’s okay. With the machine still on low, add the flour in three or four additions and mix only until the mixture just comes together to form a soft, moist dough-a matter of seconds. Don’t overdo it.

To make the dough in a large-capacity food processor

Place the butter in the working bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until creamy. Add the confectioner’s sugar and process to blend well. Add the almonds, salt, and vanilla and continue to process until smooth, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs and process to blend. Add the flour and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together. When the dough forms moist curds, clumps and then starts to gather into a ball, stop- don’t overwork it. The dough will be very soft, pliable, and Play-Do-ish, more like your favourite butter-cookie dough than traditional pie dough-that’s just the way it should be.

To shape and chill

Gather the dough into a ball and divide it into three or four pieces: three pieces for 10 1/4-inch tars, four for 8 3/4 inch tarts. Gently press each piece into a disk and wrap each disk in plastic. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or for up to 2 days before rolling and baking (at this stage, the dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month).

To roll

For each tart, place a buttered tart ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep close at hand. If you are using a tart pan, butter the pan and dust with some flour, then remove excess flour. Work with one piece of dough at a time; keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator.

Working on a lightly floured surface (marble is ideal), roll the dough between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick, lifting the dough often and making certain that the work surface and the dough are amply floured at all times (I found it easier to roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, for the richness of the dough can make it difficult to roll). Just make sure that parchment paper doesn’t get rolled into the dough. Roll the dough up and around your rolling pin and unroll it onto the tart ring (or the tart pan). Fit the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the ring, then run your rolling pin across the top of the ring to cut off the excess. If the dough cracks or splits as you work, patch the cracks with scraps (moisten the edges to “glue” them into place) and just make certain not to stretch the dough that’s in the pan (what you stretch now will shrink later).  Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork, and chill it for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer. Repeat with the remaining dough if necessary.

To bake a tart shell

Preheat the oven to 350F. Fit a circle of parchment paper or foil into each crust (cut the paper or foil large enough to extend above the top of the tart) and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, then remove the parchment and beans and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden. Transfer the crust(s) to a rack to cool.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

(Another recipe from Pierre Hermé)

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups whole milk

1 plump, moist vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped

6 large egg yolks

½ cup (slightly rounded) sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted

3 ½ tablespoons (1 ¾ ounces) unsalted butter, softened

In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean (pulp and pod) to a boil over medium heat (or do this in the microwave oven). Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes, time enough for the liquids to be infused with the warm flavour of vanilla.

Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished cream and be placed in this ice bath. Set aside a fine-meshed strainer too.

Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Whisking all the while, very slowly drizzle a quarter of the hot milk into the yolks. Still whisking, add the rest of the liquid to the tempered yolks in a steady stream. Remove and discard the pod (or save it for another use).

Place the saucepan over high heat and, whisking vigorously and without stopping, bring the mixture to a boil. While boiling, whisk energetically for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and press the cream through the sieve into the reserved small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath (you can add some cold water to the cubes now) and, stirring frequently so that the mixture remains smooth, cool the cream to 140F, as measured on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter in three or four additions. Keep the cream over ice, stirring occasionally, until it is completely cool. The cream can be used now or refrigerated.

Rhubarb Topping

2 lbs of rhubarb stalks, cut into the width of a tart pan (if thick split in half)

½ cup cane sugar

¼ to 1/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 320F. Place the rhubarb in a baking dish, sprinkle the rhubarb with the sugar and pour in the water. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. Transfer gently to another plate, reserving the liquid. Set aside to cool. In the meantime, place the reserved liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce it by half or until it becomes thick with a syrupy consistency. Cool to room temperature.

Assemble the Tart

Spoon the pastry cream into the crust and smooth the top. Place the rhubarb widthways along the tart on the pastry cream and drizzle the syrup over top. Serve immediately.