Stinging Nettle and Porcini Quiche with Green Garlic, Cipollini and Pecorino

In this crust-less quiche, stinging nettles are briefly blanched in salted boiling water, then shocked, chopped and combined in a rich custard with buttered green garlic, browned cipollini onions & porcini mushrooms, fresh oregano and shredded pecorino cheese..

Stinging Nettle and Porcini Quiche with Green Garlic, Cipollini and Pecorino

For the Custard (adapted from a recipe by Michael Ruhlman)

2 cups fresh whole milk
1 cup fresh heavy cream
6 pastured eggs (about 10 oz)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Whisk the eggs until frothy then stir in the remaining ingredients.

For the Filling

1 cup fresh stinging needles
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 tablespoons green garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cipollini onions, coarsley chopped
1/2 cup pecorino cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, coarsley chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh Italian oregano, coarsely chopped

Plunge the nettles into a pot a lightly salted boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes (the leaves will turn bright green). Immediately drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and chop as you would spinach.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the green garlic, mushrooms and onions and cook until light golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

To Assemble

Lightly butter a casserole or glass pie pan then add a layer of sautéed vegetables. Top with half of the cheese and herbs, then add 1/2 of the custard mixture. Repeat with a second layer. Bake in a 350 degree oven until browned and set, about 30 minutes depending on the depth of your dish.  Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.

Stinging Nettle on FoodistaStinging Nettle

Sour Cherry Scones with Vanilla Cream

A scone is a leavened quick-bread of Scottish origin.

Organic soaked wheat and malted barley flour, pastured butter, cacao nibs, dried cherries and raw cream..

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Soak 1 /1/2 cups of organic whole wheat flour in 1/3 cup filtered water and homemade whey overnight. Soaked flour is easier to digest, thereby increasing the bioavailability of the nutrients.

Pour fresh raw cream into a stainless steel or enameled pan.  Add a split and scraped vanilla bean and heat the cream very slowly until the surface begins to wrinkle, and then continue to heat until thickened, about 1 hour over low heat (do not let it boil, or you’ll have to start over).  Allow to cool to room temperature; this is the vanilla cream.

Stir 1/2 cup of malted barley flour into the soaked wheat flour and pour into a glass mixing bowl.

Add 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt and then cut in 4 tablespoons pastured butter.  Make a well in the center of the mixture, then add 3/4 cup raw milk, 1/2 cup of raw cacao nibs and a cup of coarsely chopped, dried tart cherries.

Work by hand into a soft, slightly wet dough.  Mixture will be quite thick and a little sticky.

Drop heaping tablespoonful of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with rapadura and bake in a 375 degree oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Serve warm with additional cacao nibs and vanilla cream.

This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival


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