LEMON AND ASPARAGUS QUICHE

PG tested

Served with a tossed salad, a custard-filled quiche is just as good for dinner as it is for brunch or breakfast. In this spring version, the pastry crust is loaded with tender stalks of asparagus and fresh herbs, with lemon zest adding fresh citrus notes.

A tart pan is ideal but if you are without, no worries: I made mine in a springform pan and it turned out fine. Because the filling is wet, it’s important to blind bake the crust so you don’t end up with a soggy bottom.

For crust

1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

3 tablespoons ice water

For filling

½ pound asparagus, trimmed

1½ teaspoons unsalted butter

2 small shallots, finely minced

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Zest from 1 lemon, preferably organic

2 large eggs

1⁄2 cup heavy cream

1⁄3 cup sour cream

1⁄4 cup minced mixed fresh herbs

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, optional Olive oil, for brushing Prepare crust: In bowl of food processor, pulse flour and salt until combined, then add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. In separate bowl, whisk together egg and yolk with ice water. Add to flour mixture and pulse until moist crumbs start to form (no longer). Form dough into a disk (or 2 disks if making 2 quiches in pie plates), cover in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

After resting, let dough sit at room temperature until pliable, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, folding and pressing sides to an even thickness. (Or roll out 2 disks to 11inch rounds and fit into 8- or 9-inch pie plates.)

Trim edge of dough flush with top of tart pan. (If using pie plates, fold edges of dough under and crimp as desired.) Wrap in plastic; freeze at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line crust with parchment, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 20 minutes with a baking sheet on rack below; remove paper and beans. Let cool.

Reduce oven to 375 degrees.

Bring large skillet of salted water to a boil. Drop in asparagus and blanch for 3 minutes – or 90 seconds if you’ve got pencil asparagus (it shouldn’t be completely cooked). Drain in a colander, run under cold water and pat dry.

Cut off asparagus tips to make them about 3 inches long. If your asparagus is thick, slice lengthwise in half. Cut remaining stalks on the bias into slices about ¼ to ½ inch wide. Wipe out the skillet.

Put skillet over medium heat and add butter. When it’s melted, toss in shallots and cook, stirring, just until softened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and scrape into the crust, spreading them evenly. Add lemon zest and sliced asparagus stalks.

Whisk eggs, cream, sour cream and herbs together in a bowl just until blended. Season with salt (about 1⁄4 teaspoon) and pepper, then pour into prepared crust. Arrange asparagus tips (cut side down if you’ve halved them) in any way you like on top of the filling.

Bake quiche for 25-30 minutes, sprinkling on parmesan cheese, if using, after quiche has been in the oven for 20 minutes. The quiche is done when the custard is set — a tester will come out clean — and puffed. Transfer to a rack and, if you like, brush olive oil over the top, using only enough to give it a gloss.

Serve quiche when it’s just warm or has come to room temperature.

Makes 1 quiche. — adapted from Doriegreenspan.com