Pear & Camembert Quiche

I need your help. Yes you, sitting in front of the computer browsing through some blogs. Could you please tell me why it took almost 28 years before I discovered the joys of proper homemade quiche?

I've had quiche before. If you can call it that. The quiches I've grown used to have always been rather omelet-like and dry. Not a winner. So I went through life thinking that I just wasn't a quiche fan. Sure I would eat it if it was offered to me, but really enjoy it? Or even make it myself? Eh, I wasn't feeling it.

But. That all changed on the 21st of March 2010. For suddenly I was faced with not one, not two, but four (yes you read that right) different quiches. 

The event: The first (and hopefully annual) SA Foodbloggers Conference. 

The chef: Jenny Morris & her team

The meal: A jampacked buffet including four delicious quiches brimming with flavours from butternut to spinach and feta to cherry tomatoes. 

But one quiche stood out from the rest. One quiche changed everything. The caramelised pear and Camembert (or was it Brie? I can never tell the difference) one. It was soft and luscious and the flavour combination was simply outstanding. This was what quiche was supposed to taste like.

And why tamper with a masterpiece? Here, then, my rendition of the Quiche That Trumped All Other Quiches.

Pear & Camembert Quiche

Inspired by Jenny Morris & Homemade Heaven

Makes 8 slices

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

2 tsp (10 ml) butter

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) salt

400g shortcrust pastry (I used storebought, but you can make it at home)

2 smallish pears, cut into eighths

70g Camembert cheese, sliced

4 eggs

1 cup (250 ml) reduced-fat cream

1 tsp dried thyme (if using fresh you'll need about 1 tbsp)

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions, vinegar and a pinch of salt, cover and allow to caramelise. This usually takes about 30 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, place the pears in a separate saucepan with a little bit of water and cook, covered over low heat until soft.

4. Grease a round pastry tin, then line with a greased piece of wax paper, trimming the edges as needed. Press the dough into the pastry tin, covering the sides as well and removing extra dough where necessary.

5. Spread the caramelised onions onto the pastry and top with camembert. Arrange the cooked pear slices on top of the onions and cheese.

6. Whisk together eggs and cream, then add thyme and the remainder of the salt. Pour into pastry shell and bake for 40 minutes.

Note: If you prefer a slightly more oozy quiche, use 1 less egg and an extra 1/2 cup cream.

Nutritional info (per slice): Calories 365.0, Total fat 22.8 g, Saturated fat 10.5 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.8 g, Monounsaturated fat 4.3 g, Cholesterol 128.2 mg, Sodium 410.7 mg, Potassium 190.6 mg, Total carbohydrate 31.5 g, Dietary fiber 1.5 g, Sugars 0.7 g, Protein 8.8 g

Roasted Butternut, Pear and Blue Cheese

Have I mentioned that I love butternut? I adore it in all it's forms - roasted, stuffed, turned into a soup, you name it, I've tried it. In my opinion butternut tends to get a bad rep because of it's high carb content, but really people, these are goooood carbs. Say it with me now: not all carbs are created equal!



That said, I of course have no problem with indulding in the "bad" kind every once in a while... That aside though, this sweet and salty combo really hits the spot. And the fact that it's a nutrition powerhouse? Well that's just the cherry on top!

Roasted Butternut, Pear & Blue Cheese

Adapted from The Noshery

Serves 4 - 6 as main dish (8 as side-dish)

1 large butternut (approx 1.1kg), cubed

2 small red onions, cut into large chunks

3 medium pears, cut into large chunks

1 tbsp grainy mustard

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp freshly chopped sage

50g blue cheese

50g trailmix (almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries)

1. Arrange butternut, onions and pears in a large ovenproof casserole dish. Add mustard, oil, sage and salt to taste and massage through the vegetables to distribute evenly. Bake at 180C for about 50 minutes, or until the butternut is soft.

2. Crumble blue cheese over the vegetables and return to oven for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

3. Serve warm, scattered with the nuts, seeds and dried cranberries.

Nutritional info (per serving as main dish): Calories 270.8, Total fat 10.3 g, Saturated fat 2.7 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.9 g, Cholesterol 7.5 mg, Sodium 149.2 mg, Potassium 774.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 42.8 g, Dietary fiber 10.6 g, Sugars 2.3 g, Protein 7.0 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 309.9 %, Vitamin C 62.0 %, Manganese 22.7 %, Magnesium 18.1 %