Great Meals for a Change

Cheese Quiche with Kale

Rich and cheesy quiche with the green goodness of kale.

Ingredients:

For pastry:
• 3 cups flour ( ½ whole wheat and ½ white works well)
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup lard (or shortening)
• ⅓ cup butter
• 4-6 tbsp cold water
For quiche filling:
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 1 ¼ cups light cream
• 6 eggs, beaten
• ¼ tsp rosemary ( or to taste)
• Dash of black pepper
• 8 small stalks of kale
• one medium onion, chopped
• ¼ tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 150 gm cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions:

To make crusts:
• Put flour and salt in a large mixing bowl
• Cut butter and lard into flour with a knife and rub in with finger tips. When rubbed in sufficiently, the mixture should look like fine breadcrumbs
• Sprinkle the cold water over the crumbs. Mix to stiff crumbly-looking paste with round-ended knife
• Draw together with fingertips, turn out onto lightly floured board (or wooden table). Knead quickly until smooth and crack-free
• Take half of the dough and roll out into a circular shape. Place into greased pie tin and trim edges with knife. Take second half of dough and place similarly in second pie tin
To make quiche filling:
• Chop kale into small chunks and sauté with chopped onion in about half a tablespoon of olive oil for five - ten minutes until onions are soft and kale leaves are wilted, but still bright green. Take off heat and cool.
• Stir in balsamic vinegar.
• Heat milk and cream to just below boiling point. Combine with beaten eggs.
• Add grated cheese, kale and onion mix, rosemary and black pepper to egg and milk mixture and stir.
• Pour half the filling into each of the two pie crusts.
• Place the quiches in the middle of the oven and bake at 400°F for 10 min. Reduce temperature to 325°F. Bake for further 35 to 45 min (or until filling is set).
• Serve hot.