Traditional Quiche

I am back again with another challenge in the International Food Challenge .This month the chosen theme being Alsace Lorraine Recipes .

Alsace and Lorraine are separate regions in France's north-eastern corner, and share borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. Thrown together geographically but differing in atmosphere, tradition and even language, their names have been inextricably linked by a dramatic and often tragic past. Most of Alsace, a largely Germanic-speaking region, Alsace is frequently mentioned with and as part of Lorraine and the former duchy of Lorraine, since it was a vital part of the duchy, and later because German possession as the imperial province Alsace-Lorraine, 1871–1918) was contested in the 19th and 20th centuries. Although German dialects were spoken in Alsace for most of its history, the dominant language in Alsace today is French. The historical language of Alsace is Alsatian,a Germanic type (Franconian) dialect spoken in Lorraine and across the Rhine, but today all Alsatians speak French, the official language of France.

Alsatian cuisine, somehow based on Germanic culinary traditions, is marked by the use of pork in various forms. Traditional dishes include baeckeoffe, flammekueche, choucroute, quiche lorraine and fleischnacka. Southern Alsace, also called the Sundgau, is characterized by carpe frite (that also exists in Yidish tradition).I have opt in making the traditional quiche . The quiche had gone through a twist in my recipe as I have used Malaysian flavours in it ! I love satay and its dipping sauce , therefore have spread the satay sauce in my quiche ,top with grilled/pan fried chicken ,some onion rings , and covered it with the normal egg,cheese and cream batter. I loved it and hope that you will too. The remainder satay sauce can be served at the side.

Ingredients

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie(I used 3 layers of puff pastry )
11/2 cup shredded red cheese and mozzarella cheese
3 shallots minced
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups light cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For chicken:
150 grams boneless chicken,
1 tsp grounded cumin seeds
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp honey
1 lemon grass chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp salt

For satay/peanut sauce

4 Garlic cloves
½ cup Shallots (Red Onion)
8 large red Chillies (soaked until soft)
6 Candlenuts (Buah Keras, Kemiri)or substitute with macadamia nuts.
1/4 cup Cooking Oil
2 cups roasted pounded Peanuts, or, ½ cup Peanut Butter
1 to 2 tbsp Tamarind Juice (Assam Juice) - mix Tamarind Pulp with hot water, strain 1 lemon grass –bruised
½ in shrimp paste
2 to 3 Tbsp brown sugar
Salt to taste

Toppings (optional)
Onions cubes
Cucumber cubes


Preparation for Peanut Sauce :
Finely ground Chilies, Garlic, Shallots and Candlenuts into Paste. Add in lemon grass and Fry Paste ingredients in hot oil for 5 minutes or until oil floats on top. Stir in Ground Peanuts and Tamarind Juice. Bring to the boil. Add salt and sugar to taste.I like my sauce to be more in the sweeter side therefore have added more sugar! Add water to reach desired consistency.

Preparation for chicken:
Marinate the chicken by mixing in all the ingredients with and leave aside for 30 mins.
Heat a non stick pan, grease with a bit of oil, place each chicken pieces into the wok .Do not overlap them. Leave to fry and brown them slightly.Turn and do the same.Dish out .

For the quiche:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

 Grease the pie pan with some butter. Place a puff pastry sheet on the pie pan and press at all side .Grease with some beaten egg. Place another puff pastry sheet on top of the first one.Press to seal at all edges. Grease with beaten egg again. Place the last pastry sheet and press neatly at all sides and edges. Press firmly all around.Cut out excess pastries..Grease a bit of beaten egg. Prick lightly the pastry with a fork.

Spread the satay sauce on the pastry shell. Place on top, the chicken pieces neatly. Top with some chopped shallots.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper. And mix in the cheese as well. Pour mixture into the pastry shell
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with peanut sauce by the side and Top with some cubed onions and cucumber  if desired.
Note: I thought of garnishing with some cucumber and onions cubes , but when it came out from the oven …I felt it look great just as it was !! J

Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?recipeID=17515&origin=detail&servings=6&metric=false

The above recipe is being submitted to
Foodie Friday - A Room With A View For Two