Ramp, Purple Asparagus & Potato Quiche
SERVES: 1 QUICHE | PREP TIME: 45 MIN | COOK TIME: 1 HR
This recipe came to me in a moment of inspiration after I took a healthy break from recipe testing.
I had just returned home from a family vacation where I was lucky enough to barely cook a thing - let alone photograph it - and felt refreshed and ready to step back into work. Like most, separating myself from the kitchen helps me regain the energy to play and be creative. So I did what I recommend each of my Health Coaching clients do, and took a stroll around the produce section until I found something new-to-me or something local/in-season. I already knew I wanted to use ramps but hadn't decided how, so I circled around until my dish presented itself to me. Luckily it didn't take too long to discover some gorgeous purple asparagus and yummy Maine potatoes. That's when it hit me...Aha! Quiche!
Many think of quiche as a breakfast/brunch dish for an occasion. I, however, love a quiche for busy day meals because it stores quite nicely. It's pretty easy, super yummy and honestly just a kitchen-sink dish.. grab what you have in your fridge (or what you're inspired by at the grocery store/farmer's market), crack a few eggs and voila! Talk about a "meal prep" win.
Now if you've read this and thought.. what in the world is a ramp?! You're not alone. The season is short and they don't make a big debut. So here it is... ramps are a yummy springtime herb-y vegetable that's taste can only be described as not quite a green onion and not quite a leek (although it is technically a wild leek).
Substitutions
Ramp season is coming to an end, so if you can't find them at your grocery store or farmer's market, go ahead and swap them out for green onions.
Cheese. Gruyere can be swapped for a manchego, or heck a cheddar is fine. The goat cheese should probably stay but you could swap it for your favorite soft cheese or maybe just omit it.. However do be mindful if you sub for a saltier cheese, reduce the salt in the recipe, or vice versa.
Crust. Gluten free? Go ahead and make your favorite GF crust, buy it pre-made, or lose it altogether and make it frittata style. If you do choose to skip the crust, cook time drops down pretty drastically. Keep an eye on it.
Asparagus. Can't find purple? Regular ole' green asparagus works just the same. Broccoli works in a pinch, too!
Potatoes.. any kind of fingerling, young potato, etc. works great! Just make sure not to skip the steaming part.. feel free to cut them in cubes.. I like sliced because they layer nicely. It all tastes great in the end!
Cottage cheese... I highly suggest you give this one a try, but sour cream and a splash of milk would be your best substitution. I find this and letting the egg mixture get to room temperature is your best chance at a fluffy quiche.
Ramp, Purple Asparagus & Potato Quiche
SERVES: 1 QUICHE
PREP TIME: 45 MIN | COOK TIME: 1 HR
INSTRUCTIONSIn a steamer basket, steam potatoes for 15-20 minutes until tender. You can boil or microwave until tender if you do not have a steamer basket. While the potatoes cook, cut ramps by removing white bottoms from leafy tops. Chop the white bulbs (much like you would a green onion). Set the leafy tops aside to decorate the top of the quiche before baking.
Chop 4 of the asparagus into roughly the same size as the ramps. Slice the remaining 4 asparagus length wise to use for decoration on top of the quiche before baking.
In a saute pan over medium heat melt the butter and add the chopped ramps and chopped asparagus. Cook for 3-5 minutes until softened and tender. Remove from the pan and evenly spread mixture on a plate to cool completely. At this point remove potatoes, let cool slightly, slice, and then let cool completely.
In the same pan over medium heat add the long asparagus slices for 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and set on a back burner for another 1 minute to steam. Remove the asparagus from the pan and let cool completely on a plate.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, gruyere and goat cheese. Once the chopped ramps, asparagus, and potatoes have cooled completely, whisk into the egg mixture.
Pour egg mixture into prepared, uncooked pie crust. Decorate with alternating cooked asparagus slices and ramp greens. Cover and set on the counter for 30 minutes. In the mean time preheat oven 350 degrees.
After quiche has sat out, place in the over (if you're using a quiche dish, you may need to place a sheet under to catch any overflow). Bake for about 1 hour, or until center has cooked and is beginning to brown and springs back to the touch. Avoid over cooking as it will dry out.
INGREDIENTS8 ramps, washed and trimmed
8 purple asparagus, washed and trimmed
6-8 small fingerling potatoes, washed
1 tbsp. salted butter
12 large eggs
1/4 c. cottage cheese
4 oz. gruyere, grated
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp. aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 of Mimi's Crust (linked above), or any pie crust, rolled and placed in a 9
Fresh basil or microgreens for garnish