Asparagus Spinach Quiche

This is a fact: I haven't made a quiche in over a year.

What?  I love quiches.  What is happening to me?

In order to get back on track, I revisited my list of quiche recipes in my arsenal.  (Yes, I call my Bookmarks folder an arsenal.  Don't worry about it.)  I quickly found a Closet Cooking recipe for an asparagus spinach quiche.  I've been a fan of Kevin's blog for a while now and my family and I have made quite a few recipes of his, so I knew that this quiche would not disappoint.  What's not to love about asparagus, spinach, and lots and lots of cheese? Yes, I can get behind this.

Asparagus Spinach Quiche

slightly adapted from Closet Cooking

Print Recipe

• 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1 inch slices
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 shallots, diced
• 2 cups spinach
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups fontina, grated, for mixing into the quiche
• salt and pepper, to taste
• habanero sauce, to taste
• 1 deep-dish 9-inch pie crust (I used a frozen pie crust)
• 1/4 cup fontina, grated, for sprinkling on top of the quiche

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Fry the bacon in a skillet, then set aside to drain on a paper towel.  Reserve about a tablespoon of grease in the pan.

3) Add the asparagus to the pan and saute until tender, ~ 3-5 minutes.

4) Add the garlic and the shallots and cook for about a minute.

5) Toss the spinach into the pan and cook until wilted.

6) In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cheese, vegetables, bacon, and seasonings.  Mix well.

7) Pour the mixture into the pie crust and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

8) Bake in the oven until golden brown, or about 45 minutes.  Your oven might need more or less time.  Just make sure the eggs have set before removing the quiche from the oven.

9) Let cool, then serve warm or at room temperature.

I really liked the flavor profile of this quiche.  The asparagus maintained some crispness throughout the quiche-making process, the spinach was hearty, and the bacon...oh, the bacon was a most welcome treat in almost every bite.

One thing you should understand is that 1 pound of asparagus equals A LOT of 1" asparagus stalks.  So if you only like, not love, asparagus then might I suggest you only use 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound of asparagus?  Just a little suggestion.  

Oh wait, how did I get this far without mentioning the cheese? For shame!  Fontina is a pretty creamy cheese, in my opinion, so I believe it was perfect for this quiche.  If you're looking to use another cheese, I say go for it.  That's what I love about quiches.  I can pretty much throw in whatever I like.  And it's a great way to clear random vegetables out of the refrigerator if you've got some stragglers in there.  So go ahead with your bad self and serve this up as a quick lunch or as an appetizer for a fancy dinner.