Tag Archives: Brunch ideas

Springtime Green Quiche

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At this point in my life, I should know better than to fall for lines from cute guys with a twinkle in their eye. I’m talking about you Jamie Oliver. Through my TV screen, you smized at me, with those baby blues and told me that it was possible to use mashed avocado instead of butter in pastry dough.

I was fascinated. Could it really be true? Avocado, like butter, has a high fat and moisture content, so it seemed plausible. Jamie made a green pea and cheddar quiche using his avocado dough. I settled on leeks, asparagus and gruyere cheese for my version.

I love the flavour of leeks. Part of the onion family, leeks have a mildly sweet flavour but much less intense than onions. They add a depth of flavour to so many savoury recipes.

How to clean and slice leeks: Leeks can be quite sandy, so the best way to clean them is to cut them in half lengthwise. Trim off the roots and dark green leaves. The dark green leaves are too tough to use for sautéing, but they are perfect for adding to homemade chicken or vegetable stock, I put them in a zip-loc bag in the freezer and save them for the next time I make stock. Arrange the light-green/white part of the leeks cut-side down on the cutting board and slice them into thin half moons. Fill a large bowl with cold water and place the sliced leeks in the water. Swish them around and let sit for a few minutes. Scoop the leeks out of the water, leaving the sandy water behind.

Here’s how this Springtime Green Quiche comes together. Watch!

Yes, the pastry is really a vibrant green before it hits the heat of the oven, but it does get quite muted with baking.

The pastry rolled out beautifully, but to be honest, it tasted bland. Avocado, without any salt, lime juice or jalapeño, doesn’t have much flavour. I think that if you’re going to indulge in something decadent, like quiche, with eggs, cheese and cream, you should just go all out and use butter in the dough.

But the Libra in me feels compelled to make a counter argument. Changes to healthier eating are best taken in small steps. Announcing that you plan to cut all animal fats from your diet is unlikely to be sustainable for most of us. But looking for these micro moments, where we can make small changes gradually, eventually add up. If you’re looking to incorporate more plant based fats into your diet, this avocado pastry would be just fine. I’m going to give you two dough options in the recipe. Choose your own adventure. If you try the avocado dough, please let me know, in the comments, what you think!

I love the flavour of gruyere cheese in quiche, but feel free to substitute fontina or Monterey Jack or another good melting cheese. The asparagus on top makes for a beautiful presentation.

Click here to print recipe for Springtime Green Quiche.

Croffles (Croissant-Waffles)

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We all view the world through our own unique lens. My husband, for example, walks through life looking for ways to make the world a better place. From a macro perspective, by chairing a $400 million fundraising campaign to replace our city’s 100 year old hospital, right down to a micro perspective. The other day, I came into the kitchen found him on the floor, sorting and organizing the Tupperware lids so it would be easier to find a match for the containers.

I, on the other hand, walk through my day looking for ways to make life more beautiful. As my sister says, “We are cursed blessed with a strong sense of aesthetic.” We have text chats about the prettiest way to label storage baskets, and the optimal font choices for them. It matters to me that my spice drawer has identical bottles for all the spices, and that my pantry is organized with uniform glass jars, rather than the packages that the food is sold in. I think that’s why I love food photography so much. With each shoot, I get to create a beautiful scene. I feel so creatively fulfilled.

A unique way of viewing the world has led to some wonderful culinary creations. Remember the Cronut from 2013? Recently, some genius, came up with the Croffle, a croissant-waffle hybrid . Not sure who to credit with the idea, but it was clearly someone viewing the world through a lens of “Can you Waffle it?” The internet is filled with strange and wonderful things people have waffled.

I felt compelled to try my hand at the Croffle. There is an excellent French Bakery down the street from me, so I bought a bag of their frozen croissant dough. Instructions on the bag said to lay the frozen croissants on a baking sheet with a small bowl of water. Place the baking sheet in a cold oven and leave it there overnight to thaw and proof.

Check out how it all came together.

So, in answer to the cosmic question, “Can you waffle it?” , the answer is a resounding hell yes! Croissant dough in the waffle iron is awesome! I mean, what could be bad? Crispy AF on the outside and tender flaky layers within. A simple drizzle of maple syrup or dusting of icing sugar and all is right with the world, for a few minutes at least.