Broccoli & Cheese Quiche

This is a no-frills, all-flavor quiche that lets two ingredients shine: tender broccoli florets and sharp cheddar cheese, bound together by a rich egg-and-cream custard.

The custard ratio is a textbook one: four eggs to a cup and a half of cream. That’s the magic French ratio that gives you a quiche that sets firm enough to slice cleanly but stays silky and just-jiggly in the middle. Less cream and you get scrambled eggs; more and the quiche won’t set.

A dash of nutmeg is the surprise. It brings out the cheese’s nutty side and bridges the broccoli’s slight bitterness with the rich cream. You won’t taste it as nutmeg; you’ll just taste a quiche that seems more interesting than it should.

Layer the broccoli and cheese in the crust before pouring the custard over. This keeps them suspended throughout instead of sinking to the bottom.

Pro Tips

• Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute in boiling water, then shock in ice water before adding. Raw broccoli releases too much moisture during baking.
• Pre-bake (blind bake) the pastry crust for 10 minutes before filling to prevent a soggy bottom.
• Pull the quiche from the oven when the center still wobbles slightly. Carryover cooking finishes the set without overdoing it.
• Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. Hot quiche oozes; rested quiche slices clean.

Variations

• Add 4 strips of crisp cooked bacon, crumbled, for a quiche Lorraine crossover.
• Stir a tablespoon of fresh thyme or chives into the custard for an herby finish.
• Swap cheddar for Gruyère or Swiss for a more traditional French quiche flavor.