Cue the quiche

I was so excited about creating this new blog that it kept me up all night but now I can't quite remember what I wanted to say. Oh yes, happy birthday Joe!

Inspiration always hits when you are meant to be doing something else (like study).

So I guess introductions are in order - I write another blog, but this is to be the food blog. I was a student, flirted with journalism, now am a student again, and hopefully will turn out to be a decent osteopath.

The title of this blog comes from a conversation last night with my dear friend Mon, who is a brilliant, brilliant cook in her own right. Many thanks also to mum, who is always holding court in the kitchen at home and when she comes over to visit. She would probably faint if she read this, because she is firmly anti-sugar, anti-dairy. If that's the equivalent of being mature and grown up, I'm still at the teenager stage, enjoying my new-found freedom and oven, not sure how to say no to a goodnight kiss from a handsome stranger - in this case the milkman.

I hope to post once a week, sometimes just a link (because all cooks borrow) but today it will be something I've made.



Quiche

My very first housemate in Melbourne, Nick, is a keen baker and collector of cookbooks. This came from one of his but I can't remember which one now.

For the crust, two parts flour to one part butter. A pinch of salt and some herbs if you like. I used tarragon because it was the first bottle I found. But on the net I found another recipe for butterless crust which I've tried, using 1 1/2 cups flour (i used spelt and wholewheat) to 1/2 cup vegetable oil. It's worked very well, so I think I will be using this from now on.

Process or rub in till you get a dough which you are meant to roll out. Because I am lazy, I pour the crumbs into the tray and squish them together till they resemble a dough. You get a more even texture if you can be bothered to roll.

The filling is the easy part. You don't have to put salt if what you are using is already salted. I used leftover chicken sausage, leeks, asparagus and parmesan but put anything you want - tomatoes, smoked salmon, tuna, ham, leeks - and pour in a mixture of two eggs beaten with 1 cup cream. I had to put three because my eggs were tiny as. Bake in preheated oven for 30 min @ 375F or till the top is golden.

To serve with a salad - lettuce from my garden, radishes, carrots. I was going to put in avocado but unfortunately it had gone over to the dark side. Dressing - mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Let the salad sit in the dressing for 30 mins before so that it comes together.

Eat and try to save some for lunch tomorrow (or for a nice friend). Serves 2 to 3.