Spring Asparagus and Gouda Quiche

I completely forgot about quiches and how delicious they are until this weekend came around and I dove head first into this breakfast/brunch favorite.


I had my very first catering event this weekend where I planned and cooked for a bachelorette party of 8. I prepared a lunch prior to their limo pick-up, then I laid out appetizers, dinner, desserts and then had a pre-made breakfast course for them when they woke up in the morning.

Well, good thing this recipe called for two quiches, one for the event and one for myself. Since spring is in full swing I have had asparagus on the brain. Normally I just throw the asparagus in a boiling pot and blanche or bake it in the oven with some cheese. So this time I really wanted to make a meal out of this amazing veggie.


I wanted to overload this quiche with asparagus since it was the main ingredient and I really wanted it to stand out. Most of the time when I make a quiche it has two or three main ingredients and the combination creates the flavor but I really wanted to try one dominant veggie with a seriously awesome cheese.

Quiche is one of those dishes that is almost perfect for all breakfast situations. You can make it ahead of time and re-heat in the morning just as I did for the party I catered. You can break out slices for breakfast for a whole week. It's a main course for entertaining a brunch and it can make an excellent dinner when paired with sausage or light salad to round out the meal.


The best part about a quiche is that it relies on just a few simple ingredients, a nice flaky crust and delicious cheese to round out this perfect pie. 

Spring brought in some amazing veggies this year and you could taste the difference in each bite. The gouda cheese was actually brilliant here because it was so creamy and complemented the crunch of the asparagus.

This fresh combination is perfect for a bright spring morning or to treat that wonderful mother of your's on Mother's Day.

Spring Asparagus and Gouda Quiche
Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
3 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches asparagus, chopped
8 ounces gouda cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
8 large eggs
2 cups half and half
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 frozen pie dough(s), 9-inch round pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium. Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add asparagus to skillet and season with salt and pepper, and toss, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer asparagus mixture to a colander. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Divide mixture and cheese between prepared crusts. Place each crust on a separate rimmed baking sheet.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, pour egg mixture into crusts.

Arrange baking sheets on racks, and bake until center of each quiche is just set, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Let quiches stand 15 minutes before serving.

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Enjoy!