SPINACH & BACON DUCK EGG QUICHE RECIPE

We had a few duck eggs and quite a bit of bacon and spinach left over after our last brunch club function. What better way than to make a quiche out of it? The duck eggs have a subtle richness to the eggs but broadly speaking taste exactly like chicken eggs. You can simply use normal chicken eggs if you dont have duck. Here's the recipe I cobbled together, turned out rather well:
 
Ingredients

For the pastry

175g plain flour
100g cold butter, cut into pieces
1 egg yolk (large chicken or duck)

For the filling

200g bacon
300g roughly chopped baby leaf spinach
1 small brown onion finely diced
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
50g chedder cheese
200ml creme fraiche
200ml double cream
3 duck eggs, well beaten
Pinch ground nutmeg

Method 
For the pastry, put the flour, butter, egg yolk and two tablespoons cold water into a food processor. Process until the mix binds - around 30 seconds.

Remove the pastry and with lightly floured hands form into a ball then roll it out as thin as possible. Find yourself a 23cm fluted quiche tin. The ones where the bottom can removed are easiest to work with. Gather into a smooth ball, then roll out as thinly as you can. Line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottomed, fluted flan tin, easing the pastry into the base. Press the pastry into the flutes, lightly prick the base with a fork, then chill for 10 mins. Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat oven to 180 C oven.

Line pastry case with baking paper (or with foil, shiny side down). Weigh down with baking beans (I use dry beans) and bake for 15 mins. Remove lining and beans and bake for 4-5 mins more until the pastry is pale golden.

While the pastry cooks, prepare the filling. Heat a small frying pan, fry the onion, bacon until golden (be careful not to burn). Remove and drain on paper towels. Get the pan back up to heat add a touch more oil.  Add garlic then allow to gently fry for 30 seconds then add the spinach. Allow to wilt down and reduce (around 1 - 2 minutes). Remove and drain on paper towels.

Dice roughly two thirds of the cheese and grate the rest. Scatter the diced cheese and fried onion, bacon and spinach over the bottom of the pastry case

Using a spoon, slowly beat in the double cream into the creme fraiche. Mix in the beaten eggs. Season (you shouldn't need much salt) and add nutmeg.

Pour the mixture into the case. Scatter the grated cheese over the top. If its getting full, place the Quiche on the oven shelf then top it up to the brim with remaining egg mix. Bake for about 25 mins, or until golden and softly set (the centre should not feel too firm). Let the quiche settle for 4-5 mins, then remove from the tin. Serve freshly baked, with salad. Great cold too.

Bexy loved this one for lunch with fresh garden salad. You can also experiment with different combinations of fillings. Leeks, mushrooms, courgettes, artichokes, tomatoes are great additions. Different cheese too; Roquefort, Camembert, Gruyere etc. The pure simplicity of using just one ingredient gives great results too. There's a whole world of quiche to explore!
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