Crustless Quiches

Lazy weekend mornings are the best. I'm an early riser; while Z can sleep well past noon, I'm often up around 8am, even on weekends. I make a cup of coffee or tea (Irish Breakfast is my current favorite), and sit on the couch reading or catching up on a show. 

I unabashedly love breakfast, and within a half hour or so of waking up I'm in need of food. While our fridge can get pretty sparse during the week, there are some staples I like to keep on hand. Eggs, cream (for coffee/tea), and cheese are three of them, along with frozen fruit and almond milk for smoothies. 

This brunch recipe creates a crustless quiche--a custardy and savory egg dish that comes together really easily with basic kitchen staples. While I do love flaky pastry dough, this crustless quiche is healthier, easier, and quicker to prepare.  

This genius recipe comes from Mark Bittman of the New York Times. You can add in chopped up roasted vegetables for a dressier look, particularly if you are serving this at brunch with friends. 

I'm out in New York right now (will be for ~10 more days or so), and I'm dying for a home cooked meal. DC is on the agenda for the weekend, and I'm hoping I can convince my friends to cook at home for at least one meal. Crustless quiche in pajamas on my own couch sounds pretty great right now. 

More brunch recipes: Blueberry muffins and shirred eggs

Crustless Quiche Recipe

From Mark Bittman

1 cup cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, gently heated until just warm

3 eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup grated Emmenthal or Gruyere cheese

1/4 cup grated pecorino ro Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Butter

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well blended. 

Butter 4 to 6 ramekins, and pour egg/cream/cheese mixture evenly into ramekins. Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until almost firm. It should jiggle just a little in the middle.

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Peaches in Lillet

Phew, finally back from Boston and NYC, and ready to get back to sharing recipes.

Today's recipe is by far the easiest and healthiest dessert I have ever made.

I am very much a dessert fan--cakes, cookies, pudding, ice cream--and I typically believe that dessert should have sugar or flour in it to be considered dessert. This dish of marinated peaches totally changed my mind though.

It means almost every hip and trendy diet. It's gluten-free, paleo-friendly, alkaline diet friendly, and sugar-free. Yet, it is completely satisfying for every sweet tooth out there. I made this at a dinner party where one of my friends was Paleo, and everyone walked away a happy camper!

On top of how healthy it is, this peach dessert is incredibly easy to make. You chop up peaches and basil, add Lillet Blanc (a French aperitif), and then just let it sit in the fridge. It's perfect for hot, end of summer days when the last thing you can imagine doing is turning on the oven or stove.

For those not familiar with Lillet, get familiar! Lillet is a classic French fortified wine, often enjoyed before dinner. I particularly love it in the summer with a twist of lemon.

This peachy treat would be just as good as a late afternoon snack. Add in some warm sun and friends, and life is looking great.

Peaches in Lillet

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine

3 ripe peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges (I was lazy and left the peel on)

1 750-ml bottle of Lillet

2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil

Toss peaches, Lillet, and basil in a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. You can let the peaches sit for up to a day before serving. 

Back to Basics: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Passover is almost here, and if your previous celebrations are anything like mine, your Seders probably include some form of cake made with potato starch or matzo meal (to compensate for the lack of flour) that a family friend or relative brought for dessert.

I always loathe these cakes that look deceptively delicious, but then end up just tasting like a weird potato due to the potato starch. 

During Passover, yes, your diet is limited. You essentially are gluten- and corn-free, and for many Jews, rice and legumes are also a no-no. That being said, it doesn't mean your dessert options are limited!

My philosophy on Passover desserts applies equally well to any sort of diet that excludes gluten or other key foods. The secret is just to avoid recipes that try to replace flour with something else. There are lots of great desserts out there that don't require flour!

Today's recipe is a rich and perfectly imperfect flourless chocolate cake that will be a perfect addition to your table this weekend, whether you are celebrating Passover, Easter, or just the beautiful spring weather!

This cake brings a lot of flavor, and I love how rustic it looks. The cake puffs as it bakes, and then cools to almost create a crater of sorts. The recipe comes from Nigella Lawson, who calls this a "Chocolate Cloud Cake". 

I like this cake served with whipped cream, and you can find my recipe for that here. 

Also, here are some other gluten-free and Passover-safe recipes, like macaroons and chocolate mousse.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

From Nigella Lawsone

Leaving the recipe in grams, so you can be more accurate!

250 grams of bittersweet (70% cocoa solids) chocolate

125 grams unsalted butter (softened)

6 large eggs (2 whole, 4 separated)

175 grams white sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside. 

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, and then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate. 

Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75 grams (1/4 cup) of white sugar, then gently add the chocolate and butter mixture. 

In another bowl, whisk the four egg whites until foamy, then add the rest of the white sugar (about 1/2 cup). Whisk until the egg whites hold their shape, but are not too stiff. I suggest using an electric mixer for this step!

Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of the egg whites. Then, fold in the rest of the egg whites carefully. 

Pour into the prepared tin, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake has risen and cracked, and the center is no longer wobbly. 

Cool the cake on a wire rack; it will sink as it cools. 

Remove the cake from its tin when ready to serve. Add whipped cream or powdered sugar, as desired. 

Coconut Macaroons

Chag sameach ("happy holidays" in Hebrew) to all of my readers celebrating Passover! Growing up, Passover was a joyous holiday, even though it means sacrificing delicious things like pastries, pasta, and bread for eight days. 

Passover always starts with two nights of festive meals, filled with family and friends, as we recount the story of how the Jews were enslaved in Egypt, and how G-d rescued us from slavery. Though it is a serious holiday, the Passover Seder is also supposed to be engaging for all members of the family.

Being so far away from home this year, I am lucky to have the opportunity to attend three very different and unique Seders. One Seder with family in Maryland, one with new friends here in DC, and another Seder coming up this weekend with both my family and my boyfriend Zach's family. None of them are "traditional" per se, but they certainly made me feel at home for the holiday.

Every year during Passover, I rely on desserts that do not require any flour, like these coconut macaroons. Why bother with cakes and cookies made with potato starch instead of flour? These macaroons are so simple and easy to make--I can't believe I spent years buying them from the store! 

They are a perfect addition to your spring holiday table, whether you are celebrating Passover or Easter! 

Coconut Macaroons

From Ina Garten

Makes 20-24 cookies

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4-6 ounces of chocolate melted 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. 

Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer (I used a hand mixer) until they make medium-firm peaks. Medium firm peaks are just stiff enough to stand up firmly when the mixer is removed from the bowl, but they have a slight curl at the tips.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. You can check out these photos from my Chocolate Mousse to see how to fold. 

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using two teaspoons. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Once cooled, drizzle with the melted chocolate. 

Thai Green Curry

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope your week has been off to a great start. In just three more days, it will be the weekend again, where you can go back to relaxing in pajamas all day, drinking coffee in bed, and exploring your wonderful city.

In the meantime, you need to survive three days of work.  And if you're anything like me, it's not just work, but also the gym, grocery shopping, learning French, reading for my book club, and volunteering. Tuesdays are typically the toughest in terms of trying to get everything done because I spend 2.5 hours in the early evening at BUILD, a national non-profit. I rush to get into work early so I can finish work by 4:30pm, spend 4:30pm-7pm at BUILD, and then often go to the gym afterwards. By the time I get home from BUILD, I am ready for bed.

And that's where this Thai Green Curry comes in. Ready in less than 20 minutes, this curry is flavorful, healthy, and best of all, great for lunch the next day.

Thai Green Curry

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 package green curry paste

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 sweet potato, diced

Juice from one lemon

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1.5 cans chickpeas, rinsed

1 bell pepper, diced

Prepared brown rice or white rice

• In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add in the chopped onions, and stir occasionally until they start to wilt.   

• Next, add in the curry paste, and let it heat up for about 30 seconds.
• Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk.  Stir in the sweet potatoes, lime juice, and fish sauce.  Let the sauce simmer on medium heat until the sweet potatoes are tender. 

•  Then, add in the chickpeas and the chopped bell pepper.  Cook over medium heat until heated thoroughly. The bell peppers should still have a little bit of crunch to them!
• Serve with brown or white steamed rice.  

Faux Pho

This post was originally supposed to be about pesto because I had a ton of basil and parmesan cheese. But then I realized making pesto would have required a trip to the store for some pine nuts. Poking around my kitchen a little bit longer, I discovered some rice noodles tucked behind my cereal, and some chicken soup in my freezer.

And that is how my faux pho came to be. With a few ingredients, you can easily elevate chicken soup into something a little more exciting and fresh. It is not necessarily the most traditional, but it will curb your pho cravings until you can make it out to your favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

Perhaps the best thing about this meal is that is was ready in 15 minutes. Seriously! Which means you have plenty of time to unwind after a busy Monday back at the office...

Faux Pho

I used frozen homemade chicken soup, that already had carrots and chicken in it.  If you don't have any, feel free to use store-bought low-sodium broth and rotisserie chicken.  To make it vegetarian, simply sub the chicken broth and chicken for veggie broth and tofu!

Handful of rice noodles (feel free to grab as much as you want)
4 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1/4 onion, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Juice from 2 limes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Siracha

• Cover the noodles with boiling water.  Let sit for approximately 7-10 minutes.  I prefer my noodles on the chewier side, so I err on 7 minutes.  
• Drain noodles when done.

•  Combine broth and chicken in a pot, and heat over medium-high heat.  Add in chopped basil, lime juice, and onions.  Continue to cook until the soup is hot.
• Stir in soy sauce and fish sauce.

• To serve, place noodles in a bowl.  Add soup on top, and then add Siracha.