every monday night, i go over my friend heather's house for a pot luck dinner.
(secretly watching the bachelor) this past monday night was the last night - so i went all out & tried these very super fabulous quiche (usually made as a pie, but i made them in muffin form as to feed everyone... they were a hit & gobbled up in an instant!) note: this is pretty lengthy recipe - it is definitely a time commitment!
for inside the tart:
1 head of cauliflower cut into 1-inch florets
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chipotle mustard
3 medium eggs, or 2 large ones (or 3 egg replacers as a substitute)
8 ounces of sour cream (i used non-fat)
1/2 cup of any kind of milk (i also used non-fat here)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup grated swiss cheese (non-fat)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (low fat)
homemade crust:
1 1/4 cups of wheat flour
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons earth balance butter
1 egg (or egg replacer)
note: this will make one large 12 inch tart or 12 small muffin tarts
to caramelize the onions:
heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion, sprinkle with salt & pepper & cook until onion is a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. (this took me about 25 minutes)
while i was caramelizing the onions, i made the dough for the tart. in a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch & salt. you can chop up butter, or because i bought my earth balance in a tub, i used a tablespoon & scooped it out to add to the mix. Add one egg (note: i use vegan egg replacer as a substitute, even though the dish is obviously not vegan). mix with a fork until a dough forms. if this does not happen easily, toss it out onto a counter and knead it together. it may be a little tough - especially if you use wheat flour like i do. don't be afraid to knead, knead, knead!
to get the right fit for the muffin tin, i used the bottom of my one cup measurement & cut a circle around it(a little on the thicker side), then i used my rolling pin & rolled it out a little more to get a nice, thin crust.
whew. as if that wasn't a lot of work(!) preheat your oven to 350, & start chopping up your cauliflower! mix with two tablespoons of olive oil, a little bit of salt & pepper, and roast away! (15 minutes, turn, shuffle around the cauliflower, & then another 15 minutes)
& here's something good to know - you can do all of this up to a DAY beforehand! (i did all this in the morning, & then actually baked in the afternoon) so for all of you who like to plan ahead (which is typically not me).
the last part:
use a knife or brush (or like me, your finger) to spread the bottom and sides of crust with mustard. then put down the caramelized onions, the cauliflower over the onion, & one artichoke heart on top (if you have extra, the more, the merrier). whisk eggs (or egg replacer), sour cream, milk & pepper in a bowl. once mixed, pour in the swiss cheese & pinch of cinnamon & mix together. pour mixture over the onion, cauliflower & artichoke, & sprinkle with parmesan. bake until tart is golden & center is set (40 minutes).
voila! you have a really scrumptious, healthy meal! the smell in the kitchen alone will make your mouth water!
