This time of the year, I try to include as much asparagus in my meals as possible. It's at the peak of its season and that means the best flavor and the lowest prices of the year. So, it finds its way into everything from woks to steamers to roasters to sauté pans.
While a lot of the dishes that asparagus finds itself in are evening meals, breakfast shouldn't be forgotten. Asparagus can be tossed into scrambled eggs, fried with potatoes, and included in any number of breakfast casseroles or stratas. But my favorite way to incorporate asparagus into my morning meal is tucked into a savory quiche. The recipe I'm sharing with you this month is my favorite rendition -- a creamy filling dotted with asparagus and sprinkled with tangy parmesan cheese. Put that all in a flaky pastry crust and you've got breakfast made -- literally!
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Asparagus Quiche
- 1 frozen pie crust (9-inch), thawed
- 1 lb. asparagus
- 1 c. fat free evaporated skim milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. dried tarragon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Pierce the pie crust with a fork. Bake until golden -- about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Meanwhile, clean the asparagus and cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Steam until crisp-tender -- about 5 minutes.
Mix the evaporated skim milk, eggs, tarragon and salt together in a small bowl. Arrange the asparagus and cheese in the baked pie shell. Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus and cheese.
Bake the quiche until the top browns and the egg mixture sets -- about 35 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
- Yields: 6 servings
- Preparation Time: 50 minutes