Hashbrown Crust Quiche
This is one of my very favorite recipes to make when having friends over for brunch on the weekends. It's actually really quite simple but makes you look like a 5 star chef. You will absolutely impress everyone who tries it!
Ingredients:
6 cups Shredded, Frozen Hashbrowns, thawed and drained
6 tablespoons Butter, melted
1 medium Yellow Onion, thinly sliced and caramelized (~½ cup caramelized onion, instructions following recipe)
½ pound Asparagus, sliced in half lengthwise, blanched in salted, boiling water for 1 minute, then bathed in ice water, drained, and dried before adding to quiche
8 Eggs
1 cup Milk
½ cup Heavy Cream
8 ounces Goat Cheese
¼ cup Minced Chives, plus 1 tbs for garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste
*Tip: If you don't like asparagus try mushrooms, spinach, or sausage. Or all three!
Instructions:
Heat oven to 425˚.
Line 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then grease with butter or oil.
Press drained hashbrowns between paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible.
In a bowl, mix dried hash browns with melted butter.
Press hash brown mixture into springform pan, making a layer on the bottom and then progressing up the sides of the pan until a shell has been formed. Use the back of a wooden spoon to press hard.
Bake crust for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just browned and beginning to crisp.
Remove crust from oven, use back of wooden spoon to compress it more. Make a uniform sheet of potato on the bottom and sides of pan. Wrap sides with tin foil to protect them from burning.
Place crust back in oven, under broiler, and broil for 5-10 more minutes, until the crust is golden brown all over.
Remove crust from oven and set aside on a baking sheet while preparing the filling. Lower oven temperature to 325˚
Add eggs, milk, cream, and goat cheese to blender along with salt and pepper. Blend until frothy, about 1 minute on medium-high.
Turn off blender, add chives, return lid to blender and pulse once or twice to distribute chives throughout mixture.
Spread caramelized onions into hashbrown crust, covering the bottom.
Scatter blanched asparagus over the caramelized onions, reserving a few strands to top the quiche.
Pour egg mixture into crust.
Add reserved asparagus to top (it will sink slightly). Sprinkle remaining chives on top along with more cracked black pepper.
Slide quiche on baking sheet into oven. Cook for 1-1 ½ hours, until it’s just set in the center, puffed, and golden brown on top. Let quiche cool in the pan until very warm, then remove springform ring and cut into slices for serving.
Entire quiche can be made ahead. Let cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, cut cold quiche into wedges, place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350˚ oven until warm, about 10 minutes.
Caramelized Onions:
Thinly slice onion.
Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, coat the pan with oil, and add the onions. Slowly cook the onions, stirring, until they caramelize and release their natural sugars (30-45 minutes). Add a couple of tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and help the onions break down, if needed.
