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Mexiterranean Quiche

Mexiterranean Quiche
Mexiterranean Quiche

This quiche was inspired by some recent searches for ways to add extra fiber to our diets.  We stumbled across some well seasoned and fried to a crisp chickpeas and decided to combine this with some old school pan fried chicken.  Might as well add some green chile prepared using the same frying method.  Brings a little extra heat to the game.  The name for this quiche was provided by one of the boys as I was describing what was in it.  Mexiterranean quiche taking some of the goodness of the Mediterranean dishes that use the chickpeas (otherwise served as Hummus) combined with the medium heat of the Green Chile Peppers.  And it was all charred in a cast iron skillet to get a nice crispness to the bite.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tblspn Olive Oil (Avacado Oil is a good substitute)
  • 2 – 15 oz can of Chickpeas
  • 1/2 tspn Cayenne
  • 1 tspn Paprika
  • 1 tspn Cumin
  • 2 tspn fresh Parsley, chopped and divided
  • 1 tspn Salt, divided
  • 2 tspn Pepper, divided
  • 2 Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Broth or Stock
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 3 Anaheim Green Chile Peppers, seeded and chopped in 1/2 inch chunks
  • 16 oz Queso Fresco or Fetta Cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 15 oz Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 pt Half and Half
  • 9 large Eggs
  • 2 prepared pie crusts

Preparation

First, drain and rinse the chickpeas in a strainer and pat dry with paper towels.  Chop up the chile peppers.  Slice the chicken breasts in half or, my preference, hammer the chicken until about 1/4 inch thick.  Spread a coating of oil over the chicken and lightly coat both sides with 1 teaspoon of Parsley, salt and pepper and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rinsed and dried chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of oil.  Add in 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne, 1 teaspoon each of Paprika and Cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon of Sea Salt.  Mix thoroughly until all of the chickpeas are well coated with the spices.  Get out your well seasoned cast iron skillet and heat it up using the highest heat possible and carefully put 1 teaspoon of oil into the skillet and wait until it starts to smoke.  Then put in the seasoned chickpeas and cook until they are browned on at least 2 sides.  Be careful as some of them may pop and spray a little oil at you.  Cooking these should take about 7 – 15 minutes, depending on your heating surface.  When done, remove from the skillet and store separately until ready for final assembly.

Carefully wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.  Continue heating the skillet over high heat.  Add another tablespoon of oil and when it starts to smoke, add in the chopped chile peppers with a dash of salt and fry until the peppers start to char, about 5 minutes.  Stir a bit and fry for another couple of minutes.  Remove the peppers from the skillet and store separately until final assembly.

Reduce your heat to medium-high.  Again, carefully wipe the skillet clean and add 1 tablespoon of oil.  When the oil starts to smoke again, fry the Chicken Breasts for about 5 – 7 minutes per side.  You want the meat to have a good light browning.  Then slice up the chicken into no larger than 1/2 inch chunks.  Continue to fry for another couple of minutes.  Remove the chicken chunks from the skillet and place in a container.  Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir in the flour slowly until you’ve completely deglazed the skillet.  Boil this down to form some gravy.  Pour the gravy over the chicken chunks and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes or store until ready for final assembly.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat the oven to 385 F.  Combine the chickpeas and chicken in a large mixing bowl.  Half this mixture and spread each half into each pie crust.  Halve the green chile chunks and spread each half across the top of the filling in each crust.  Now spread across the top half of the crumpled Queso Fresco or Fetta cheese.  Mix together the Yogurt, Eggs and Half and Half, if you want add some salt and pepper to taste and whisk for at least 5 minutes.  Carefully pour the eggs mixture over the pie fillings until fully covered.  Then sprinkle the remaining Queso Fresco or Havarti over the top.  Top this with an even coating of the Mozzarella and sprinkle each with a 1/2 teaspoon of Parsley.  Place the pies into the oven and cook for 35 – 45 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown and the center of each pie is firm.  Remove and serve or pack it up for the rink.

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Shakshouka Pashtida

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Shakshouka Quiche
Shakshouka Quiche

Shakshouka, from the Hebrew word leshakshek meaning “to shake”, is a spiced, egg and tomato dish that is part of the popular Israeli Breakfast, that is served at nearly every hotel in Israel and also a few hotels across the world that cater to Israeli tourists.  This takes the traditional method of preparation and turns it into a Pashtida (quiche in Hebrew) or frittata.  And as an extra bonus this one is vegetarian, or at least as vegetarian as we will ever get here.  The guys don’t usually like vegetarian, other than donuts, but this one seemed to popular.

Serves: 16 – 22 (2 quiches)

 Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 – 15 oz can of Roasted Tomatoes
  • 2 Bell Peppers
  • 1 Large Onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Paprika
  • 1/4 cup Parsley or Cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 pie crusts
  • 8 eggs
  • 12 oz Ricotta Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded
  • 1/2 cup Havarti Cheese, shredded

Preparation

Chop up the peppers, onion and garlic.  In a large skillet or pot (cast iron skillet is best) over high heat, heat up the olive oil until it starts to shimmer.  Then add the Onions and Garlic and cook until turning translucent and getting about to char, about 7 minutes.  Add in Peppers and continue cooking until the peppers are starting show some char on them as well, another 5 minutes.  Then reduce the heat to medium and add in the Roasted Tomatoes, drain them first to save cooking time.  Also add in half of the Salt and Pepper and all of the Cumin.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the mixture is very dry.  Remove from heat and allow to cool or refrigerate until ready for final assembly.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Prepare the pie pans, coating the bottom with a little olive oil then placing the crust dough into the pans.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the Eggs and Ricotta Cheese and the remainder of the Salt and Pepper and about 3/4 of the Paprika,until frothy, about 5 minutes.  Move the vegetables prepared before into the pie pans and spread about evenly.  Top this with an even layer of the Havarti Cheese.  Then Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables in the pie pans and poke and agitate a little bit with a fork to make sure the eggs and the vegetables mix a little bit.  Then top this with the Mozzarella Cheese and the Parsley, I prefer using Cilantro.  Sprinkle the remaining Paprika on top as well.  Place in pies the oven and cook for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the center is firm and the cheese is a little browned.  Remove from the oven and serve or pack them up for the rink.

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Crispy Street Taco Frittata

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Crispy Potato and Chorizo Frittata
Crispy Potato and Chorizo Street Taco Frittata

Trying to get a little more crunch into the meats and fillings of the frittata, we found this method works fairly good.  It’s normally used to make street tacos, but it serves the purpose here of making the taco style filling a little crisper and the bonus is that it also adds a little extra flavor too, at least that is what the Heathens that finished it off so quickly said.  Maybe they were just hungry after a 2 hour skate.

This works because par-cooking potatoes in water with a little vinegar helps them crisp more when fried in hot oil or fat.  This also works best if prepared in a cast iron skillet.

Also cooking Chorizo past where you think it’s ready makes it crisper, better browned, tastier end results.

You could also top with a few corn chips or slices of avocado to dress this up even more.

Serves: 16 – 22 (2 frittatas)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb Russet Potatoes, cubed to 1/2-inch (2 large potatoes)
  • 3 Tbsp Kosher Salt, divided
  • 2 Tbsp Peruvian Chile Lime Seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
  • 8 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, divided (I recommend Avocado Oil)
  • 2 lb fresh Chorizo
  • 1 White Onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup favorite Green Chile Salsa
  • 1/4 cup Lime juice
  • 1 cup Cheese, either Queso Freso, Cojito or a “Mexican Blend”, shredded
  • Base Quiche Mix with the addition of 2 Eggs and 1/4 pt Half and Half
  • 2 pie pans

Preparation

First thing to do is clean and cube the potatoes.  Add them into a large pot and cover with water until all of the potatoes are underwater by 1/2 inch.  Heat on High heat until boiling, then add 2 tablespoons of Kosher Salt, and the White Vinegar.  Set a timer for 5 minutes.  When that is done, drain and strain the Potatoes in the sink, allowing them to dry out a bit.  When they are almost dry, sprinkle liberally with 2 tablespoons Chile Lime Seasoning and 1 tablespoon of Ground Pepper, shaking to make sure all sides get a little of the coating.

In a large skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet, over high heat add 4 tablespoons of Oil and heat until it starts to smoke.  Then carefully add in the seasoned potatoes and shake to distribute evenly in the skillet.  Continue cooking, tossing and stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy on all sides.  This should take about 15 minutes.  Remove and set aside, drying on a paper towel until final assembly, refrigerating if that is more than 1 hour away.

Again in a large skillet, cast iron is better, over high heat add the remaining Oil and heat until it starts to smoke.  Then carefully add in the Chorizo, breaking it up into about 1/2 inch sized chunks.  Cook this until you think it is fully cooked.  Then continue cooking, stirring and tossing frequently, until all the liquid, except the fat the breaks out, has has boiled off.  The Chorizo is sizzling and well-browned, about 15 minutes.  Remove and allow the remaining grease to drain off on to a paper towel.  Set aside until final assembly, following the refrigeration rule above.

Whenever you have time during the above process, you should chop up the remaining Onion and Cilantro and reserve until final assembly.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat your oven to 375 F.  Add a thin coating of Oil to the pans.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the Chorizo, Potatoes and Onion.  Spread this mixture evenly into the pie pans.  Prepare the Base Quiche Mix, and add the 2 extra Eggs and 1/4 pint of Half and Half to the Mix.  Then add in the Salsa and Lime Juice and continue whisking until fully mixed and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Slowly pour this equally over each filling making sure to fully coat all the filling.  Top with the Cheese equally to each and then sprinkle with the Cilantro.  Place in the oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes, until the Cheese is turning golden brown.  Remove and serve, or pack up to take to the rink.

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Santa Muerte Meat Pie

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Fruity Santa Muerte Meat Pie
Fruity Santa Muerte Meat Pie

This one is inspired by a taco I had on a trip to Phoenix, from a little taco shop called La Santisima.  This is a mixture of caramelized fruits, nuts, peppers and a tasty picadillo style meat.  We took all the fun of the little taco and dumped it to another variation of the Tourtière or meat pie.  Fruity, tasty and not at all hot, even though there are some hot peppers in it.  Easy to make too.  And the name is meant to honor the taco shop’s patron saint.

Serves: 16 – 22 (2 pies)

Ingredients

Meat Filling

  • 3/4 lb of Ground Pork
  • 3/4 lb of Ground Beef
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 large White Onion, finely chopped
  • 4 oz Raisins
  • 1 Tbsp ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Tbsp Sea Salt

Fruit Filling

  • 4 Roasted Green Chile, cleaned and diced
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 large White Onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Almonds, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 Pear, cubed
  • 1 Apple, cubed
  • 1 medium vine ripened Tomato, cubed
  • 1 Tbsp ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Sage
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

The Rest

  • 2 9 – 1/2 inch Pie Pans
  • 4 Pastry Pie Crusts, 2 for each pie
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Mexican Crema or Creme Fraiche
  • 1/2 cup Queso Fresco Cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Pomegranates (if you can get them)

Preparation

Meat Filling

In a large skillet (cast iron if possible), over medium-high heat, add the oil and allow to heat up.  In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for the meat filling, except the oil.  When the oil in the skillet is hot enough transfer the meat mixture and cook until the meat has some nice brown edges and the onions are starting to brown as well.  Remove the meat filling from the skillet and drain the excess grease off.  Allow to cool and place this meat filling in a container and refrigerate until final assembly.

Fruit Filling

First prepare your roasted Green Chile.  I pick up good Anaheim or NM Big Jim Green Peppers and roast them on the grill until the skin is turning mostly black.  Then allow them to cool until your can handle them.  Clean by removing the skin and stems.  Dice this up into 1/2 inch pieces.  If you want to skip the above step entirely, get a 1/2 cup of El Pinto or Colorado Roasted Green Chile Sauce, instead.

In an oiled large skillet, over medium-high heat, combine the Garlic and Onions and cook until they start to turn translucent.  Then add in the Almonds, Sunflower Seeds and the cubed Pear and Apple.  Saute this for about 5 minutes.  Then add in the Tomato, Green Chile, Pepper, Sage and Cinnamon.  Saute this until it starts to boil.  Then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 15 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally, to reduce the liquid.  Remove and strain this filling too.  This liquid you want to use so drain that into a separate container and refrigerate both until ready for final assembly.

Pie Crusts

Again I used store bought crusts as this saves quite a bit of time.  Remember that you need enough for the top and bottom of the pie.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat oven to 420 F.  In a large mixing bowl and add in the Eggs, Crema and the liquid you reserved from cooking the Fruit Filling above.  Mix thoroughly, whisking for at least 4 minutes.  Then mix in the both fillings you prepared above and the Queso Fresco Cheese.  Halve this mixture and place into each of the pie crusts.  Top with a handful of Pomegranate seeds.  Place the top layer of crust on top of the filled pie.  Trim the pastry and make sure to seal the edges.  Cut some steam vents in the top crusts.  You could get creative here by making the slits look like a skull, and use some extra Pomegranates to fill the eye holes.  Wrap the edges with 2 inch strips of aluminum foil.  Put into the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil strips and reduce the heat to 375 F, and bake for another 25 minutes or so.  Remove when the crust is golden.  Either serve or pack them up to take to the to the rink.

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Scotch Eggs

Scotch Eggs almost ready to head to the rink

While looking for a non-quiche breakfast idea that would meet the teams needs, we came across these Scotch Eggs quite by accident.  And the bonus was that only 2 of the guys had every heard of these before.

I tried to make these a bit healthier as most of the recipes for this are deep fried.  This is simply backed.  The risk with these is that sometimes the sausage coating opens up a bit on one side and exposes the egg.  This also goes well with either a straight English mustard for a dipping sauce, of course you could try the chutney mustard sauce included below.

I’ll present the portions for making 12 of these things.  If you want more, just make proportional adjustments.

Ingredients

  • 14 medium eggs
  • 1 package of Jimmy Dean Sage* Sausage
  • 3 cups Panko or Italian Herb Spiced Bread Crumbs
  • 3 tblspn – Fennel Seeds
  • 3 tblspn – Coriander
  • 3 tblspn – Thyme
  • 1 tblspn – Pepper
  • 1/2 tblspn – Salt
  • * 4 tblspn – Sage (Add this if your using regular sausage)
  • 1 tblspn – Cayenne (optional)

Chutney Mustard Sauce

  • 4 tblspn – Chutney
  • 8 tblspn – English Mustard of Beer Mustard

Preparation

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups of Panko and dry spices and thoroughly mix.  Then add the sausage and egg and continue mixing until you’ve got this fully mixed.  Divide this mixture into 12 equal sized balls.  Then place this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  You’re going to want to work all of this with the meat cold so it doesn’t fall apart on you.

In a large pot, pour in enough water to fully cover 12 eggs.  To help with shelling the eggs, add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the water.  This will help with pealing the eggs quickly.  Bring this to a boil and add the dozen eggs and boil for 8 minutes.  If you go too long the eggs yokes will be too dry when you’ve finished all the steps so this is kind of critical.  They need to be just starting to become hard boiled.  If they are soft boiled you will have trouble getting the sausage mixture around them without breaking them open.  When ready, remove from the hot water and put them in another bowl or pot filled with cold water to stop them from cooking further.  Allow them to set for at least 10 minutes.  Then peal the shells from the eggs and set them in the refrigerator until the coating is ready.

Prepare an egg wash by opening the extra 2 raw eggs into a bowl and beating with a fork to make frothy.  In another bowl put the remaining cup of Panko.  Take the each sausage ball out of the refrigerator and prepare one at a time.  Work one sausage ball into a either a cup shape or flatten into a round sheet.  I’ve tried this both ways and they take about the same amount of time and work and there is really no difference in the result.  Then wrap the sausage around the one of the chilled eggs and form the sausage with your hands to evenly coat the egg all the way around.  When wrapped, drop it into the egg wash and roll until fully coated.  Using a spoon remove the coated egg and put it into the bowl with the remaining Panko.  Roll that around using the spoon until fully coated.  Place this egg into the refrigerator until your ready to bake them all.

Chutney Mustard Sauce

In a small bowl over medium high heat, mix together the chutney and mustard until thoroughly mixed.  Cook covered for an additional 3 – 4 minutes and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 5 – 6 minutes.  Remove from bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Final Cooking

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Get the Scottish eggs that you’ve prepared out of the refrigerator when the oven is ready and place them on a cooking grill, placed in a foil lined baking tray.  Give them a little coating of olive oil if you’d like them to be a little more golden brown.  When the oven is ready put them in.  Cook them like for for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through.  If the outside isn’t a little crispy at the end of the cooking time, crank the oven up to broil at 500 deg for no more than 5 minutes.  Pay close attention so you don’t burn them.  They are ready to serve at this point.  Warm up the sauce of you choice and dig in.