November 13, 2015

FRIDGE BOTTOM QUICHE (or a free lunch)

fridge bottom quiche

Quiche is one of my favourite ways  of using up leftovers.  We have enjoyed many a unique quiche over the years, each one dependant on what’s lurking in the depths of the fridge or freezer and in fact it’s almost worth keeping a pack of pack of pastry in just for the purpose of making a fridge quiche when it’s the right time.

Enjoy with a nice glass of chilled rosé or white wine, wrung out of the bag in the wine box before you put it into the recycling.  Toast the good health of yourself and your friends and feel happy and virtuous that you have done your bit to not waste food and therefore, in your own small way, to save the planet.

Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

I’m linking this post to the “No waste food challenge” organised by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary and hosted this month by  Tracy of “It’s not easy being greedy” blog.  You can see the details here.

Ingredients

1 pack of ready made, ready rolled puff pastry, oblong or round

2 tblsp oil or a large knob of butter

2 rather tired leeks

2 slices of ham, dried edges trimmed off

the noggle end of a St Maure goat’s cheese

half a pack of well scary Camembert

1 rather squidgy tomato, mouldy bits cut off

3 eggs

a few blobs of the cream that died the other day (or crème fraîche)

milk (skimmed or full cream)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Unroll the pastry and line a suitable flan tin, patching up as necessary.

Heat the oil or butter in a frying pan.  Trim the leeks to remove any grotty bits and slice thinly.  Cook in the pan on medium heat until softened, not brown and crunchy.

Arrange the leeks over the pastry base.  Add slices of ham and cheese, add slices of tomato last.

Put the eggs into a jug and beat.  Add your cream or crème fraîche and enough milk to make up to 350ml, season with pepper and whisk together.  (There is usually enough salt in the ham for our taste but add salt as well if you like.)  Pour gently over the filling and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is almost completely set.  A slight wobble in the middle is fine.

Serve warm with a salad made from rescued wrinkly lettuce, any bits of tomato and cucumber you can find and maybe that one last piece of beetroot.

Serves 4, for free, or almost.

4 comments:

  1. so beautiful... I love the oblong quiche. So pretty!

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  2. Of course - the perfect way to use up those strange bits lurking in the fridge. Although it might depend on just how scary the Camembert might be. I've always felt a bit guilty when squeezing the bag for one last drop of wine. My wife doesn't approve - even if I use a glass.

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    Replies
    1. Phil, there is a point at which camembert becomes too scary even for me, but that's a little scarier than almost beyond hope.
      As for the wine glass issue - without one wringing out the bag can be a messy business!

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  3. Thanks so much for entering into the no waste food challenge - not only do I love the recipe, but also how you have written it - the well scary camembert is possibly my favourite description in a recipe ever! My round up is now live, linking to you at http://itsnoteasybeinggreedy.com

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