Slowing Down in a Fishing Village and Discovering a Vegetable Quiche

Stonington, Connecticut is a historic fishing village on the Long Island Sound.  Here the main road, more like path, is lined with old federal style buildings which sit right upon the curb.  Noah's Restaurant attributes the success to its "slow scratch" cooking.  Interestingly, this recipe for success seems to slow down its patrons as well. On any weekday during lunch, you'll find fishermen, art dealers, business people, tourists and svelte women on the prowl for antiques all enjoying a slow paced meal of quite simple food.  Over the kitchen door hangs an enormous wooden fish with  "chasing rainbows"  carved prominently in the side.  Hearty, full-flavored dishes are served such as the marvelous quiche I  had.  With lots of fresh vegetables on the side, plenty of iced tea, and coffee and dessert, this was quite a meal that I surely intended to replicate.  Laughing, toasting, greeting one another, the people and the atmosphere, I noticed, were much like the food;  hearty, spirited, genuine and slow paced.

When the kitchen is maintained with basic ingredients, a classic quiche made from scratch isn't   too involved leaving plenty of time for ambitious pursuits like chasing rainbows.
 

basic crust

1 cup AP flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. grape seed oil
3 - 5 Tbsp. ice water

Preheat oven to 425 °F.  In a  food  processor bowl place the flour and salt.  Pulse for a few seconds to combine.  Add the butter and oil.  Pulse until the ingredients are just combined and resemble crumbs.  With the food processor running, add the ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time until the crumbs form dough.  Between two sheets of waxed paper, press the dough into a flattened disc.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch circle. Remove the waxed paper and lift the crust into a pie plate.  Bake crust for 10 minutes and remove to fill.

spinach filling

1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1 tsp. butter
2 cups fresh spinach

Sauté onion and red pepper in butter for 5 minutes, until vegetables are  softened.  Add spinach and cook until wilted and the liquid has evaporated.  Spread evenly over the bottom the the pre-baked crust.

quiche base

4 eggs
1/2 cup milk or almond milk
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups grated cheese (try a combination of mozzarella, Parmesan and/or cheddar)
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together very well until light and fluffy.  Whisk  in the  mayonnaise and dry mustard.  Stir in the cheese.  Pour this filling into the crust over the vegetables.  Place the quiche on a foil -lined baking sheet in the middle of the oven.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the  top is golden  brown.   Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.