An exploration of perfection: a flawless, complete-meal French quiche layering crisp pastry, seared chicken breast, sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach, chicken liver and onions, and a rich custard filling.
Chicken breastTenders separated before cooking~12 ozest.
Coarse saltSprinkled on pan bottom to prevent sticking
~1 pinchest.
Onions~1 mediumest.
Chicken livers~6 ozest.
Heavy creamSplashed in when finishing the mushrooms~½ cupest.
Cooked cubed potatoes~1½ cupsest.
Half and halfMixed with eggs for the custard~1½ cupsest.
Eggs~4est.
Nutmega pinch
Cottage cheeseShredded and layered at the bottom of the crust~½ cupest.
Goat cheese~3 ozest.
Grated Parmesan cheeseSprinkled over the top before baking~¼ cupsest.
Steps
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1
Shape the pie dough, chill it to rest (ideally overnight), then blind bake until crisp.
2
Heat a large pot with duck fat, butter, or olive oil, and sauté crushed garlic. Add spinach in two batches to wilt it down, season with salt and pepper, cover for about a minute to steam, then uncover and stir briskly for two more minutes. Drain and set aside.
3
Prepare the mushrooms (pied-de-mouton used here, but any favorite kind works).
4
Separate the tenders from the chicken breast. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with duck fat or a butter-oil blend, and sprinkle coarse salt on the pan bottom to prevent sticking. Sear the breast skin-side down for about 10 minutes until golden and crisp, season the top with salt, then flip once the meat color turns from pink to white at the edges. Cook another 6-8 minutes until done, season with black pepper, and rest the meat on a plate.
5
Using the flavorful fond left in the pan, cook the onions for about 10 minutes, add garlic until fragrant, then add the chicken livers and sauté about 3 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a chilled tray to cool quickly.
6
In the same pan, add a bit more fat and cook the prepared mushrooms, covering to steam for a couple of minutes. Drain excess liquid, then finish with a splash of heavy cream.
7
Turn off the heat and fold in the cooked cubed potatoes, the onion-liver mixture, and the spinach. Pour in any juices rendered from the resting chicken, and slice the chicken breast.
8
Whisk together half and half with eggs, season to taste with salt, pepper, and a touch of nutmeg to make the custard. Shred the cottage cheese.
9
Layer the shredded cottage cheese at the bottom of the baked crust — as it melts, it seals any small holes or cracks to prevent the custard from leaking.
10
Layer in the goat cheese, onion-liver mixture, mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, sliced chicken breast, and remaining vegetables. Pour the custard in to fill the quiche, then sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top.
11
Bake the quiche in the oven for about 35 minutes until set and golden, then serve.
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