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My brother adopted a new life credo a few years back; "Don't pass up the bacon"! He found many inventive ways to incorporate this credo into his adventures including craft beer, chocolate, and various other interesting methods. It was impressive until a recent Dr's visit and now I think he is re-tooling his credo going into the new year. Perhaps it will be "Don't pass up the beyond bacon"...wait is that even a thing?
But let's admit it from the beginning, bacon in any form is difficult to pass up. I've spent most of my life around food and when I was a young boy I reveled in the many ways my Grandmothers and Mother indulged in bacon including the jar of rendered bacon fat that was a staple on the kitchen counter. Of course as my pallet became more refined during my culinary training I realized that these incredible country cooks were not just using bacon fat they were using the holey grail of fat....lard! Since then I have became somewhat of a lard expert and can tell you specific restaurants in Chicago that use lard in menu items including my fave pizza spot in the city.
So when I cook for my family these days I try to honor the memory of my Grandmother's by working bacon and/or lard into my recipe. This is my newest iteration of a French classic. I made this for Black Friday brunch and the bacon, though somewhat subtle, still produces juicy fattiness throughout the quiche and lives in harmony with the butter and garlic in the crispy crust! It is delicious re-heated as well in a lightly oiled saute pan over medium heat and a lid for about 15 minutes, checking it a few times to not burn the crust, but just to release the fats!
The recipe is below, but there are a couple critical control points; the first one is the browning of the crust. During the precooking of the crust you want to have the butter in the crust release it's fats and meld the flavor of the garlic and herbs, but don't overcook it! The second one is the use of cheese. I find a medium or sharp cheddar is best, in block form so it is still moist. The third is the mixing of the eggs and cream, be careful to over-mix as it will get to thick and not fill the pan. Finally with a quiche containing raw pork you MUST cook it until the center of the quiche is 160 degrees.
Ingredients
8oz Panko bread crumbs
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 clove of garlic (minced fine)
1 tbs dry Italian herbs
1 pinch of kosher salt.
12 large brown eggs
12 oz heavy cream
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
2 cups baby spinach (chopped 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch pieces)
2 cups sugar free bacon (chopped 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch pieces)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (can sub smoked gouda)
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350. (Convection ovens will work best if available.) Take your 9 x 13 pan (glass is fine) and butter the entire interior of the pan. Take what is left of the stick of butter and melt in the microwave until it is in liquid form. In a medium mixing bowl combine the bread crumbs, the butter, the garlic, the salt and the herbs. Mix gently with a fork until the butter is incorporated into the bread crumbs. Dump the bread crumb mixture into the pan and use your hands and the back side of the fork to form the crust. The crust should go up the side of the pan about 1/4 inch. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. When crust is cooked remove the pan and allow to cool 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 2
In a medium mixing bowl combine 6 of the eggs, yolks and whites, 6 oz heavy cream and lightly whip with a whisk until combined. Add 2 cups chopped spinach and 2 cups chopped bacon and 4 oz cheddar cheese and mix all ingredients only until combined. Don't over-mix, the egg mix will be rather thick, but should pour easily. Add the mixture to the pan, cover and put in the fridge overnight.
Step 3
Remove the pan from the fridge and uncover. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (once again convection is ideal). In a medium mixing bowl combine 6 eggs, yolks and whites, and 6 oz of heavy cream lightly whip with a whisk until combined. Add 6 oz cheese, and blend, then add egg mix to the pan and ensure it settles evenly on the first layer. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 50-60 minutes. Remember that this contains raw pork and raw eggs so it MUST reach 160 degrees or until you can put a knife blade in the center and remove it cleanly. Remove the pan and let the quiche rest for 20-25 minutes prior to service.
The Grand Finale!
A couple fun twists is adding white truffle oil to the crust, or using fresh herbs if available. You are welcomed to add some chopped bacon to the top of the quiche and the best time is about 15 minutes before the quiche is completely cooked so you don't burn the bacon. We serve this with almond croissants and French Roast coffee to not only balance out the fat, but also to honor French Chefs! This makes 8 good sized portions for you to enjoy with friends or family; so bon appetit!
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