Cooking with Chef Jo: Lower Carb Quiche

Circa 1982 on Amazon

I know, I know. Real Men Don't Eat Quiche! If the book was before your time, it's a hilarious read. But I personally know many men that have ordered it and enjoyed. I guess they were in-the-closet quiche eater in a very public restaurant. 😆 They were those muscular type guys with facial hair. I guess they could have been women in disguise with their husband's names on their credit cards. But I dunno. Stranger things have happened.

But that's okay, here at the Cockeyed Homestead, we're just two older widows who love it! Besides, it's springtime and my hens are back in full production mode again. We had some losses over the winter...3 hens. But the remaining nine are busy at it. We lost a couple of customers who moved away in the last two seasons for their job and one got a few hens themselves. So it's just as well with the egg production lower, but I end up with 6-9 eggs a day now and have a stockpile building. Might as well make quiches with them.

I was taught by a well respected chef how to make mine (the basic technique). It's more a souffle like than just stuff in scrambled eggs like I see in so many cookbooks. It's light and and fluffy. When the low carb diet craze hit, I made it without the puff pastry crust. It also save me hours of laminating puff pastry dough. I found that I actually like it better without the crust.

Enough jabbering.  Onto my recipe especially since I'm making it for dinner tonight. Once again I'll add store bought ingredients for my home canned goodies.

Jo's BOSSES Quiche 
(Bacon, Onion, Swiss, Sausage, Egg, Spinach quiche)
Makes 2- 8x8 square pans or  1- 10" souffle deep dish
Serves 8 dinner sized portions depending on your appetite.
What  you'll need
1 dozen eggs, separated (room or chicken temperature)
1 lb Swiss cheese, cut 1/8th cube * I love the way it pulls out in long strand rather than grated, your choice.
2-1/2 pint jars of bacon, 16 slices (cooked, drained, and chopped into 1/2" pieces)
2 1/2 pint jars of sausage patties, 8 patties (cooked, drained, and chopped into 1/2" pieces)
1-1/2 cup half and half
1 onion, 1/8" dice* and cooked
1/2 lb spinach, fresh wilted in hot water and chopped, or a box of frozen, chopped spinach thawed and squeezed
About 1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon of Jo's Seasoning Salt*, adjust to taste and diet


 * Notes-

@ Amazon

1.  I use my Vidalia, small grate, for the 1/8th inch dice. I slice my cheese partially frozen for easier slicing with my mandolin. What can I say, I'm a one handed chef that has to use gadgets now instead of just a knife.
2. Using my Vidalia onion chopper* again. I love this slap chopper. Easy uniform cuts and fast. When I open my jars, there is always some fat left on the meat from the canning process. I place my meat on a broiling pan to get rid of the excess grease. To conserve energy, I'll spread my onions on the drip pan to cook my onions at the same time. Bake not broil since the meat is already cooked 15 minutes at at 300 degrees. Pat onions dry of the grease.
3. Link to my seasoning salt blend recipe.
4. A note within notes for full disclosure- this is not an affiliate link and we receive NO money if you use the link and buy one.

Putting it all together 

• Beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form. Sprinkling is 2 Tbs of flour while beating to stabilize the loft of the meringue after adding yolk mixture.
•  In another bowl, combine egg yolks, half and half, seasoning salt, meats and vegetables. Mix well.
• Gently fold 1/4 of of yolk mixture into the beaten egg white meringue so not to deflate them totally. It okay to see small chunks of egg whites in the mixture.
•  Pour remaining yolk mixture into the egg white meringue. Gently fold together.
• Pour mixture into well buttered pans only filling the pans halfway full. it will rise 1-1/2 to 2 times in baking process.
• Bake 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes until golden a just set. It will jiggle slightly but springy to the touch. Do not over bake it.
• Slice into servings while hot

It's yummy for your tummy!  Some more notes It's not great on the fat calories with all that meats and cheese, but it is low carb without the puff pastry crust and cream. I haven't found a Swiss cheese that is low or no fat that I like so I use Alpine Swiss. There is 2 Tbs of flour in this recipe divided over 8 servings. If gluten free substitute tapioca or rice flour. Not good with nut based flour because the oils will split your egg whites. Leftovers freeze great for three months. So this is also one of those cook once and eat many times unless you are serving to your not real men bosses or have a large family.😉

Eat hot, at room temperature, or cold. Add what you like and make it your own. I also do a killer version of a Philly Cheese Steak version using leftover roast beef. I like to serve mine with a fresh salad. I love me some veggies.  Or. if not low carbing it, some garlic rubbed, toasted sour dough bread. Enjoy!

Y'all have a blessed day!

Cockeyed Jo