Last night, after a rushed day, my husband and I did something together that doesn’t happen enough these days: we power-cleaned the house. In short order, my office was transformed from neglected storage space to usable thinking space. By the time we were done, the bathrooms were sparkling and the living room picked up. It was a great feeling to wake up to such a tidy house today.

And having a tidy house? Well, that makes me spontaneous. Seriously. I was driving to the store today when I had an inkling that today might be a good day to invite someone over for lunch. I did – or tried to – but it didn’t work out. The quiche, on the other hand, was fantastic. The kids just ate it up.

I started with two big shallots. After chopping then into rings, I sauteed them in some olive oil, swishing them around with my favorite wooden spatula until they were all soft and caramelized. It’s important to smash them a bit while they are cooking so that they break up a little. The caramelizing brought out their wonderful subtle sweetness.

When it came time to make the quiche, I layered the shallots with some crumbled Danish blue cheese. Danish blue cheese is creamy and blends well. Some blue cheeses, like Maytag blue, have a major bite, but Danish is a little more subtle. Although it’s sharp, it mellows a lot when melted into the egg mixture. The result is this amazing flavor combination that is sweet, salty, savory and super … all at once.

After it baked up, the kids and I dug in and devoured it. Mmm, and was it ever good. This would make a perfect lunch with a nice green salad (we skipped that today) and some toasty bread. And best of all? It’s ridiculously easy to make. Totally perfect for an impromptu lunch date.

Blue Cheese and Caramelized Shallot Quiche
serves 6

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large shallots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
5 large eggs
1 cup nonfat milk
dash salt and pepper
1 frozen deep dish pie shell (I like the Oronoque brand)
1 cup crumbed Danish blue cheese (roughly 4 oz)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sprinkly lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Place the frozen pie shell on a baking sheet (this will make it easier to transfer the quiche between oven and counter). Spread the shallots in the bottom of the shell, followed by the blue cheese. Pour the egg mixture in last.

Cook the quiche in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Be Sociable, Share!

•