Julia's Eggplant & Cheese Quiche
Submitted by clasyone1935
Eggplant and cheese quiche with sauteed eggplant, Parmesan, Swiss, shallots, and a cream-egg custard in a pastry shell. A Julia Child-inspired French classic.
YIELD
1 quichePREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
90 minThis eggplant quiche has Julia Child’s fingerprints all over it. Diced eggplant gets salted, drained, and pan-fried in olive oil until just tender and lightly golden, then mixed with shallots, garlic, fresh herbs, and a blend of Parmesan and Swiss cheese before going into a pastry shell with a rich cream custard poured over the top.
Salting the eggplant and letting it stand for 20 to 30 minutes draws out bitter moisture. Pat it dry before frying or it will steam instead of browning. The eggplant should be tender and lightly golden, not mushy. Four to eight minutes in hot olive oil does the job.
Draining the fried eggplant in a sieve before filling the quiche is a step you don’t want to skip. Excess oil pooling in the bottom of the crust makes the pastry soggy. Let it drain well, then fold in the herbs and half the cheese so every piece is coated.
Chef Tips
- Use a firm eggplant with tight, glossy skin. Soft ones are seedy and bitter
- Get the olive oil very hot before adding the eggplant. Cool oil leads to greasy, oil-soaked cubes
- The custard should be just enough to fill the gaps between eggplant pieces, not drown them
- Dot butter on top before baking for a golden, rich finish
Variations
- Add roasted red peppers to the eggplant mixture for a Mediterranean version
- Swap Swiss for Gruyere for a nuttier cheese flavor
- Use a mix of fresh basil and thyme instead of dried herbs for a brighter, summery quiche
Ingredients
Directions
Peel eggplant and cut in ¾ inch dice.
In bowl, toss eggplant with salt and let stand 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain and pat dry with towel. In large skillet, heat ⅛ inch layer of olive oil.
When very hot, but not smoking, add the eggplant.
Toss and turn frequently for 4 to 8 minutes until tender, but not mushy, just lightly browned.
Toss in the shallots or scallions and garlic, shaking pan over heat for a minute to cook them.
Turn eggplant mixture into a large sieve set over a bowl to drain off excess oil.
Carefully mix the eggplant with the parsley, he rbs and ½ the cheese.
Pour over pastry shell. In small bowl, beat together th e eggs, pepper, nutmeg and cream.
Salt mixture if the cooked eggplant doesn’t already have enough salt.
Pour this mixture over the eggplant in the pastry shell.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and dot with butter. Bake in a preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven about 30 minutes or until puffed and brown.
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