Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche

I am very happy with how the crust has turned out. This is the most successful pie I have made so far; it held up very well and had just the right buttery taste. I just need to be more patient and REALLY let it cooled before I sliced it.

Pate Brisee
(one 5" pie shell)

• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup organic rye flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons iced-cold water
  

1. Gently pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until dough just holds together.
2. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

For the Filling:

• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk

• 3/4 cup broccoli, florets, chopped small
• 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  
• shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• a handful of pine nuts
  
• 1/2 red onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 7" x 5"baking dish with aluminum foil. Place pate brisee in the center and roll it out to line the aluminum foil. Place a separate sheet of aluminum foil over the pate brisee and fill it with uncooked beans, rice, or pie weight. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and dry. Remove weight and foil. Let cool.


Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Throw in onions, and cook until translucent. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Add broccoli and cook until the liquid released from mushrooms is evaporated, and the broccoli is still bright green.


Transfer quiche pan to a baking sheet. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, egg. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix in the mushrooms, onions, broccoli and remaining cheese. Pour into the pie shell. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Transfer to oven, and bake until just set in the center, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Japanese Egg Custard - Chawan Mushi

I always like chawan mushi. Unfortunately they almost always come with pork or chicken. And because they are usually pre-mixed in advance, it makes it "impossible" to serve without meat. But now that I know the inside-out of chawan mushi, I could probably tell the waiter to inform the cook to simply pick out the meat before it's put to steamed.

I found the recipe from New York Times. True-hearted Japanese may jump and call foul but believe me this Japanese recipe by the American called Mark Bittman does work. I got a "the best chawan mushi" from Adrian. The original recipe uses watercress of which I omitted. I also added stir-fry shiitake mushroom with garlic. I found myself having little guilty pleasure with the garlic - as though I had found a secret staved away in a treasure trove.

Ingredients

(makes 2)

• 2 sea scallops, quartered
  
• 1 tablespoon of chopped shallot
  
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup shiitake mushroom (caps only), sliced
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 3/4 cups dashi soup
  
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Divide scallops and shallots among 2 ramekins. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Beat eggs lightly, and combine with dashi soup, and soy sauce.
2. Sautee mushroom and garlic. Stir into eggs mixture.
3. Put ramekins in flameproof baking pan or skillet, and fill with egg mixture. Add boiling water to pan to about halfway up sides of ramekins, and turn heat to high. When water returns to boil, turn heat to low and cover pan tightly.
4. Simmer 15 minutes, then check. Custards are done when set and no longer watery but still quite jiggly. Remove ramekins from water immediately. Serve hot or at room temperature.