STILTON AND ASPARAGUS EGG CUSTARD QUICHE

OLD FASHIONED FRENCH RECIPE FROM MY NAN

Wonderfully creamy light egg custard quiche, an old fashioned French recipe my Nan shared with my dad and in time with me, it has for me been a winner every time I bake it.  I am often inspired with whatever is left in my fridge, mainly because there is always lots of cheese and cream in there and along with our gorgeous hens eggs this is a speedy and tasty leftovers dish.

INGREDIENTS

(serves 6-8)

FOR THE PASTRY

450g plain flour

110 g lard cubed

100g butter cubed

large pinch sea salt

180ml ice cold water

Place the flour and salt in your mixing bowl, add the lard and butter, rub in roughly, add the water and bring the dough ball together, wrap in cling film and leave to relax in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out your pastry and line your quiche tin, place a sheet of baking paper on top and some baking beans or dried beans and bake at 180 degrees for 10 minutes, remove the baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes, lower the heat to 160 degrees.

TO MAKE THE EGG CUSTARD FILLING

3 eggs

300ml double cream

salt and pepper

100g cheese, stilton (optional)

1 onion fine diced

1 clove garlic fine chopped

4 rashers streaky bacon diced

asparagus

broccoli

leeks

8 walnuts

50g Parmesan grated

Gently pan fry the onion, garlic and bacon until softened, add the vegetables and soften, whisk the eggs with the cream, season with salt and pepper.  Layer the cooked ingredients in the pastry case, pour over the custard, sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and decorate with the walnuts.  Bake for 35-45 minutes until almost set but still a little hint of a wobble.  Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.