Cook Daily

Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart

Since my camera was stolen during my recent carjacking, (as discussed on my other blog), I can't take a picture of this most delicious tart ever from the March 2007 issue of Bon Appetit. It's unlikely to be featured in any heart-healthy recipe compilations any time soon, but one teeny sliver will be all you need.  Several Epicurious recipe reviewers found the cauliflower took less time to roast than indicated, which was true for me too.  And while I have been hankering for a reason to crack open the bottle of truffle oil we inherited from someone, I ended up using a teaspoon (if that) rather than a  tablespoon. The stuff is very pungent, and I feared it might overpower everything else.

But this to look forward to for lunch will be reason enough to get out of bed tomorrow.

Green Chile & Zucchini Quiche

I was going through the backlog of photos of things I've cooked and found one from a few weeks ago that I forgot to post about. The recipe is from Sara Moulton's new cookbook, "Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals", but it's also available on foodtv.com.

Even though quiche seems like something a monkey could make successfully, I have managed to make many a disappointing, and sometimes even plain unacceptable-for pot-luck-consumption-quiche. (I won't even begin to recount the disaster that was the South Beach Cookbook Fennel Quiche).  This one was delicious. Maybe it was because there was no pot-luck anxiety about it (one whole half was all for me!), or maybe it was the addition of cottage cheese, which seemed unusual for quiche. All I can say is, if you come to my house for brunch anytime soon, you might just be eating this.

Here's the recipe:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
24 whole grain wheat crackers (Triscuits) ground in a food processor (about 1 cup) or 1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1/2 pound freshly grated Monterey jack cheese (about 2 cups)
1 cup whole-milk cottage cheese
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Bottled salsa, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Stir 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into the cracker crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the side of a 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake the crust in the center of the preheated oven until it begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, grate the zucchini, preferably using the grating attachment of a food processor. Toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain in a colander for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini well with your hands to remove excess moisture. Add the zucchini to the onion and cook over high heat for 3 minutes.

3. Stir together the flour, the baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the Monterey jack and cottage cheeses, the flour mixture, and remaining melted butter to the eggs and beat well. Stir in the zucchini mixture and chiles and pour the mixture into the crust. Bake the quiche in the center of the oven until the top is puffed and golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside at room temperature 5 minutes, cut into wedges, and serve with salsa, if desired.