Smoked Salmon Quiche

Ingredients:

2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed

1 t butter

1 leek, white part only halved and finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 - 10 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 3.5cm pieces

5 eggs

1½ C (375ml) cream

½ t salt + pinch pepper

2 T fresh dill (or fresh soft herb of your choice), roughly chopped

200g cold smoked salmon, cut into 4cm pieces

¾ C (75g) cheese, grated

Dill sprigs and extra smoked salmon to garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 180⁰C (fan bake). Grease a 23cm tart tin or pie dish.
Arrange the thawed pastry to line the tin, pressing joins together firmly. Trim the top to cut off the excess pastry. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Place a large piece of baking paper over the pastry, then fill with baking beads or lots of rice or dried beans to weigh it down. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven.
Turn oven down to 160⁰C (fan bake).
Use excess paper to CAREFULLY remove hot beads, then return to oven for 10 minutes or until base is light golden. Remove from oven. The pastry will not be 100% cooked, it finishes cooking with the filling. It is cooked enough so the crust will not go soggy. Place cooked quiche crust on a tray.
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic, saute for 2 minutes or until leeks are translucent, don't let them go golden. Stir in asparagus stems (leave tips for decoration), then remove from stove. Cool slightly then scatter across base of quiche crust.
Whisk together eggs, cream, dill, salt, pepper in a bowl.
Scatter 2/3 of the salmon across quiche, folding/twisting pieces rather than laying flat. Top with cheese, pour over egg mixture. Top with remaining salmon and asparagus tips.
Bake for 40 minutes or until top is light golden and centre is set but still slightly jiggly when you poke it. Rest for 10 minutes before carefully removing from tin. Decorate with extra salmon and dill, cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 8.

Recipe adapted from Recipetineats.

To order salmon for this dish, click here!