Our favorite greens stand at the FM had some beautiful leeks yesterday, so at the suggestion of my friend, I decided to make a Leek & Bacon Quiche for our Sunday supper. I had all of the ingredients already except for the cheese, so it was a quick trip to the market and a nice relaxed afternoon preparing the quiche. The recipe was for two tarts, but I kind of fudged it and made one big pie. The flavoring was perfect - from a Food & Wine article about the movie Julie & Julia. Apparently, quiche was one of Julia Child's favorite things to make, and being laden with cream and cheese, I can see why!
One thing I learned is that leeks straight out of the ground are really, really dirty. Soil gets all up inside the layers, so you have to rinse and wash them very thoroughly before use.
The recipe is easy to make whether you choose to make the crust yourself or use a store-bought one. You want to use a good quality aged Gruyere, which can be expensive - I paid about $12 for the wedge that I bought at Mollie Stone's - so if you can find some at Costco or Trader Joe's for less, it will make the recipe much more cost effective. Don't skimp and go for cheap Swiss though - what would Julia say? Plus it does make enough for 2 pies, but I would still be happier if it were say, $6-7 for a block.
We had it with some leftover roasted chicken and salad for dinner (my husband loves it slathered with strong Dijon mustard) - and today I am having it with some lobster bisque for lunch. It's extremely rich and decadent, so a little goes a long way. Bon appetit!
