No Pastry quiche aka Frittata with a twist

As we're getting at least 3 eggs a day from the new hens I have spent some time working out how to try and keep at least only slightly behind the supply without resorting to cakes.

This recipe is perfect for lunch either at home or in the office as it is lovely eaten at room temperature with a green salad.

Having been making this every other week for the last couple of months, refining as I go along, am now ready to record/share!

Heat oven to 180C

8 eggs whisked until lightly frothy
100ml milk
- Add milk to eggs with seasoning depending on filling (eg less salt when using home cooked gammon)
- put other filling ingredients (see below) into dish aiming to fill two thirds of the dish loosely.
- Pour over milk and egg mixture
- cook in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or when egg mixture is set

Size of dish: the above is for 12" quiche dish. For 9" quiche dish use 6 eggs with 75ml milk. 10 eggs etc if large lasagne dish. The egg mixture should not quite cover the other ingredients. If unsure on how many eggs needed it is easy to quickly whisk up more eggs to get to the right level in the dish. Adjust time of cooking accordingly.

So far I have included new potatoes in all fillings, well they are in season, about 250g scrubbed, sliced into about 1cm pieces then cooked.

Unless otherwise indicated, another common ingredient is at least one onion chopped and fried in oil until soft.

Successful fillings to date

New potatoes, sliced chorizo, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh marjoram, cubed feta (no onion)
New potatoes, asparagus spears (cooked), grated cheddar
New potatoes, cubed home cooked gammon/bacon joint, extra fried onion, parsley, grated cheddar [Frittata Lorraine?!]
New potatoes, broccoli and blue cheese (stilton or danish blue and quite a bit of it to get the bite of the 'blue' coming through)

As the vegetable patch starts to produce then bulk of potatoes is likely to be replaced by courgette etc

Two excellent soups

Asparagus Soup from James Martin

and Nettle soup - yes you have read that right. The only recipe I wear gloves to prepare!

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan
About 8 good handfuls of nettle tops
Sweat with 1 chopped onion and 2 peeled and chopped potatoes (about 1lb).
Then add about 1.5 pints of vegetable stock.
Blend. Taste and add s&p as required
Add 4 tbsp of cream/sour cream

Menu for week starting 6th April 2009

Large leg of lamb on Sunday - the family who were coming for lunch cried off last minute, so a good salad and 'left over' meal planned.

M Spaghetti and 'quick' tuna sauce Update from Mr B - very fiddly so not quick and although tasty not worth the effort put into it
T Mozzarella and Asparagus bake Update - recipe is for 2, we ended up with 5 in the house. Added pan grilled chicken in with the recipe and the bake stretched to 5 and then some
W Jacket potatoes - x 15 year olds due to be here for the evening so a stack of potatoes, sausages and coleslaw in stock as the numbers fluctuate by the hour
Th Lamb with piquant sauce
F Fajitas

Menu for week starting 30th March

Beef brisket slowly pot roasted in red wine on Sunday. Makes a brilliant steak sandwich phili style

M Turkey lasagne
T Phili Steak sandwich
W Gammon and chips
Th Something special (it's a family birthday)


Salads
Tomato and Mozzeralla
Pastrami and Coleslaw
Bean saladx2

Menu for w/c 23 March

Mr B cooked 'proper' potato salad with chicken schnitzel , as detailed in the Sunday Times magazine from a few weeks back, on Saturday. It has gone straight into my top 10 favourite meals!

M Beef and chorizo (from freezer), rice and salad
T Stir Fry chicken and noodles
W Leftover beef recipe
Th Slugs or Curry (if M is babysitting)
F Burger and chips


Salad
Cheese and carrot
Beef and blue cheese or blue cheese and walnut (if not enough beef left)
Tuna
Tomato and salami

menu for week 16th March

M Baked gammon with parsley sauce
T Pork chops in mustard and sugar
W Chicken and Ham pie
Th Spagetti bol
F Duck mini fillets

Salads
Avacado and mushroom
Pork and coleslaw
Chicken and new potato

Recipe: Sage and Onion Stuffing

Mince 1 onion in food processor

Heat 1 tbsp oil in frying pan and gently cook onion until soft

Put 3oz white bread and 1 tbsp of fresh sage leaves into food processor and process to get breadcrumbs

Add to onion with a lightly beaten egg and mix all together. Make into stuffing balls and cook for 30 minutes alongside roast/potatoes.