Dalia's Kitchen: January 2011

Cheese and Onion Tart (Quiche Lorraine)

At the moment, I have loads of things going on from work to personal, and it doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon.. Don't get me wrong, I love being a busy bee but am also looking forward to slowing down a few gears so I can enjoy Phiras, my family and friends a little more.. The reason I'm mentioning this is because my brother, sister and best friend have gotten upset at me this past week for not being able to talk to them lately.. So here it is - an official apology, I am sorry, truly! :)

And having said that, I haven't been able to enjoy my little kitchen as much as I usually do either!! So yesterday before heading to a friend's birthday get together, I made a Quiche Lorraine.. Yummy!

Makes 1 Quiche

Easy. Prep & Cook Time: ~ 2 hours (with homemade tart base)

For the pastry:

1 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
1/2 cup of softened butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp of cold water
(egg yolk for brushing pastry)

For the filling:

3 red onions
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
200g bacon bits (lardons) OPTIONAL
1 cup light cooking cream
1 egg
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
cracked pepper to taste

In a food processor add all the pastry ingredients and blend until the dough resembles breadcrumbs.. Place it on your work surface and combine all ingredients well without over-kneading.. Roll out the dough (using a little flour if it sticks) and place it in a tart base.. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.. Preheat the oven to 200C.. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until it turns slightly golden..

In the mean time make the filling.. If you are using bacon, sauté it in a dry pan until golden and crispy, then place on a paper towel to drain and set aside.. In the same pan, sauté the onions on medium heat, add the sugar, thyme, season with salt and pepper, and add a little nut oil if needed, stirring frequently until they nicely browned..

In a bowl, whisk the cream, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.. Now assemble the tart, start by adding the bacon and onions to the base, add the grated cheese, then pour the cream and egg mixture over the top.. Reduce the heat to 200C and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until it puffed up a little and has some color.. Serve with a green salad.. Bon Appétit!

D's Baked Fish and Chips

I'm so glad it's the weekend, and am looking forward to just staying at home and cozying up.. I know it might sound weird, but I love when Dubai get's a little grey.. It feels more like a real city, and is a nice change from the always bright and sunny days which feel like a constant holiday.. I guess it reminds me of growing up in Paris, where most of the days are grey and gloomy.. And as Dubai was running the marathon earlier this rainy morning, I slept in for the first time in quite a while..

So as I'm feeling a little lazy and don't want to leave the house today, I'm preparing lunch with what I have in my freezer, a few beautiful cod fillets which are perfect to make my baked fish and chips with.. I remember eating the best fish and chips with Phiras in Portobello in London a few year ago, and ever since I've been a big fan of this British classic.. The great part of this recipe is that it's a light version, so nothing fried, but you still get your yummy fix..

Easy - Medium. Prep & Cook Time: ~60 minutes

Serves 2

2 Cod fillets, cut in half
2 potatoes cut into wedges
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
3 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
1 tbsp dill or parsley, chopped
Flour
Breadcrumbs
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200C. In a bowl, toss the potatoes, pepper, salt and rosemary. Lay them out on a tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the potatoes on the other side, and bake for another 20 minutes.

In the mean time, season the fish with salt and pepper. Then set out three plates, one containing flour, the other the egg, and the last one the bread crumbs. Now drench the fillets in the flour, remove any excess, then dip it in the egg, and finally coat generously with the bread crumbs. Bake in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes (depending on the thickness).

Make the dip, whisking the mayonnaise, mustard and herbs and serve with the fish and chips. Bon Appétit!

Cheese and Onion Tart (Quiche Lorraine)

D's Baked Fish and Chips

Mini Cheesecake Brownies

Beef Tenderloin Bites

D's Chicken Parmigiana

Popular Posts

ads

Labels

recent posts