Gruyere and Greens Quiche

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 c chopped sweet onion
• 1 1/2 tbsp water
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c ricotta cheese
• 1 c finely shredded Gruyère cheese
• ½ c pitted oil-cured olives, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp anchovy paste
• ¾ tsp ground pepper
• 1 lb leafy greens, such as spinach, chard and/or kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add water and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender and brown, about 15 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat a 8 inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• Whisk eggs in a very large bowl. Add ricotta, Gruyère, olives, garlic, anchovy paste (or anchovies), pepper and the cooled onion; mix well.
• Finely chop greens in a food processor. Mix into the egg mixture to combine, pour into pan.
• Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and removed springform. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Severe 6 – 8.

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Zucchini and Gruyere Scones

These are so amazing savory scones with veggies!! I might have put in too much zucchini so they were more like savory delicious amazing cookies!

• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• 2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated, excess liquid squeezed out with a kitchen towel
• 6 ounces Gruyère, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Combine baking powder, sugar, kosher salt, pepper, thyme, and 3 1/4 cups flour in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the size of small peas. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Pour in the cream and mix gently with a wooden spoon to distribute evenly. Add the zucchini and Gruyère and mix into the dough just to distribute. Using your hands, gently knead the mixture until the dough comes together. The less you work the dough, the more tender the scones will be. This dough will be somewhat drier than most scone recipes, but the zucchini will release additional moisture during baking.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 2-inch thick disk. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough and roll out to a 1-inch thick disk. Punch out scones with the biscuit cutter (it helps to brush the inside of the cutter with oil to help release the scones); place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2-inches apart. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if storing unbaked scones in freezer, wait to finish with the cream and salt until baking).

Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Croque Monsieur Casserole

This is from Melissa Clark’s new cookbook Dinner in French. I made a few minor changes including cutting the recipe in half. It is ridiculously rich and sinful.

4 tbsp butter

1/4 c flour

2.5 c milk

2.5 c grated Gruyere

1/2 tsp herbs de Provence

Salt

Pinch of nutmeg

8 slices white sandwich bread

6 oz thinly sliced ham

Heat oven to 375 and spray a 9×9 baking dish.

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking, until it turns golden, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in herbs, salt and 1 cup of cheese . Whisk till smooth.

Slather bread with mustard, top with ham, shredded cheese and another slice of bread.

Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Place sandwiches in and top with sauce and any remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until brown and bubbling.

Serves 6.

Pressure cooker French Onion Soup

So good and perfect for a cold winter night.

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp oliveoil
• 3 mediums, halved and sliced thin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp flour
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1 quart beef or veggie stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Pepper
• French bread, sliced 1 inch thick
• 1 c grated Gruyere

Using the sauté function, add the butter, oil and onions and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Add the sherry, stock, thyme and salt. Cover and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Place bread on a baking sheet, rub with a garlic clove and top with cheese, broil for 1 – 2 min until melted and starting to turn golden.

Place bread in the bottom of 4 bowls, spoon soup over.

Serves 4.

Pasta with Spinach and Gruyere

Nothing beats pasta for quick weeknight meal!

• 8 oz pasta
• 1/2 c creme fraiche
• 8 oz gruyere, grated
• 16 oz baby spinach
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• Salt and pepper
• Pine nuts

Cook pasta according to package.

In a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat, add creme fraiche and cook until heated through, stir in cheese – whisk until melted. Add pasta and baby spinach and cook until wilted then stir in garam masala. Season with salt and pepper. Top with pine nuts.

Serves 4.

Pomme de Terre Gratin

 Simple and elegant – Patricia Wells is da bomb.

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
2 lb russet potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 c gruyere, grated
1 c creme fraiche
1/2 c half and half
Salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Rub a gratin dish with garlic.

Layer 1/2 the potatoes, top with 1/2 the creme fraiche, salt and cheese. Top with remaining potatoes, cheese, creme fraiche and half and half.

Bake for 60 minutes until crisp and golden on top.

Serves 6.

Onion-Saffron Soup with Croutons and Cheese

There is nothing better on a cold winter night than a nice hot bowl of soup topped with croutons and melted cheese. I was weary of placing my fiesta ware under the broiler so I broke out my kitchen torch to melt the cheese.

Ingredients:
4 c chicken stock
2 1/2 c hot water
2 1/2 lbs onions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp salt
4 TBSP butter
5 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp crushed saffron threads
1/2 baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes and toasted
6 oz gruyere, grated

In a large stock pot, combine butter, onions, bay leaves and salt, cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until softened. Then cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to combine, cook for 1 minute. Add hot water, stir to combine, then add stock. Cook for 1 hour partially covered. Add saffron and cook another hour.

Pour soup into bowls, top with croutons and cheese, use a kitchen torch or broiler to melt the cheese.

Serves 4.

Tomato, Chard and Gruyere Panade

This recipe was inspired by Food & Wine magazine. It is a classical Provençal casserole, the flavors are out of this world!!

Ingredients:
2 bunches of Swiss chard, stemmed
2 TBSP olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 thyme sprigs
1 c dry white wine
Salt
Pepper
1 1/2 – 2 c chicken stock
8 oz loaf of day-old peasant bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 lbs tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
9 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded
3 TBSP butter, melted

In a 12 inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions and thyme and cook over low heat, covered for 15 minutes until softened. Salt and pepper. Add chard and wine and simmer over medium high heat, until chard is wilted and wine is reduced to 1/4 c.

Preheat oven to 400.

Butter a 12 x 12 pan. Layer bread, tomatoes, chard onion mixture, cheese and repeat. Pour liquid from skillet over the dish and then chicken stock. Push down the mixture and dot with butter.

Cover with foil and bake one hour. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes until the cheese is brown.

Let rest 10 minutes and serve.

Serves 4 – 6.

Grilled Gruyere and Apple Sandwich

On a cold rainy day grilled cheese and a nice ale make for the perfect pick me up. I added some thinly sliced apple for a nice sweetness.

Ingredients:
4 oz gruyere
1 apple thinly sliced
4 slices of buttermilk bread
Dijon mustard
Butter

Spread mustard on bread. Top with apple slices and cheese. Butter outside of the bread and cook for 6 minutes per side over medium heat.

Serves 2.

Gruyere Souffle

This recipe came from the April issue of Bon Appétit. It is the best soufflé I’ve ever made. I did use a water bath, which is a pan filled with water that will come up 1/2 on the ramekins. The recipe called for nutmeg, but if you read my blog you know
I prefer a little heat. So just swap out the pepper of you prefer things on the mild side with nutmeg.

3 TBSP unsalted butter
4 TBSP finely grated Parmesan, divided
3 TBDP all-purpose flour
1 c cold whole milk
1 c grated Gruyère, divided
1 tsp espelette or smoked paprika or cayenne
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Special equipment: Four 8-ounce ramekins

Preheat oven to 400°F. Put your water bath in the oven.

Brush ramekins with butter and sprinkle ramekins with 1 TBSP Parmesan. Chill for 20 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; whisk constantly for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk; increase heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add remaining 2 TBSP Parmesan and 1/2 cup Gruyère; stir until melted. Add esperlette and season with salt and pepper. Transfer béchamel to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside.

Place egg whites in a large bowl. Stir in a pinch of salt and xanthan gum. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until firm but not stiff, 3-4 minutes.

Stir egg yolks into béchamel. Gently stir in 1/4 of beaten egg whites to loosen béchamel base, then gently fold in remaining egg whites just to combine, taking care not to deflate.

Divide mixture among ramekins; sprinkle with 1/2 cup Gruyère. Run your finger around inside lip of ramekins, cleaning edges. Bake until soufflés rise, centers are set, and cheese is golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.