FFWD Gorgonzola-Apple Quiche

Hoping salad will off-set the richness of the quiche

We spent last weekend at the beach in Lewes, DE.  I know January probably isn't the most popular time to go to the beach, but I loved it.  We went to a couple of good restaurants, walked on the beach and the boardwalk (the weather was actually gorgeous), and went outlet shopping.  But, that coupled with book club on Sunday night, meant that I didn't have the time to start the quiche last weekend.  Luckily, it requires almost no hands-on time, just a lot of waiting.  So on Monday night I made the dough for the crust, on Tuesday night I rolled it out and put it back in the fridge to chill, on Wednesday night I partially-baked the crust, and on Thursday night all I had to do was make the filling and bake the quiche.

Gorgonzola-Apple Quiche

This wasn't much to photograph (not enough color!), but I definitely enjoyed the combination of flavors.  I love blue cheese and apple together, and I added some toasted hazelnuts (as Dorie recommends) which added some nice texture and flavor.  I was surprised when I was making this that there were only two eggs, and I did find myself wishing that there was more custard here.  I like the crust, but I wished the filling-to-crust ratio had been higher in this one.  When I make this again, I think I'll try increasing the amounts for the filling ingredients, and baking it in a pie pan.

I also made Dorie's Leek and Potato soup this week, as part of my continuing effort to catch up with the group.  I love potato-leek soup.  It's one of the first things I remember Paul cooking for me when we were dating.  I don't think I'd ever had it before, and I remember being absolutely shocked by the amount of cream Paul put in the soup (I think it was a whole pint, and at the time I was pretty careful about watching what I ate), but boy was it good.  I definitely liked that Dorie's version didn't call for cream.  It felt healthier, and I didn't miss the richness at all.  I did add a small amount of truffle oil (also a great Dorie recommendation) for garnish.

Leek and Potato Soup

I was very frustrated with my stove the entire time I was making this soup.  I couldn't seem to get it at the right temperature for a slow simmer.  There were either no bubbles, or the soup was boiling way too hard, and I know you're not supposed to boil milk.  So, I spent most of the 40 minutes yelling and cursing at my stove while Paul (who picked the stove) insisted that the stove was perfect and this was all somehow my fault....I still don't think it was my fault, but I will say that I think I would've been much happier if the recipe waited to add the milk until the end.  It seems like you could boil the potatoes, leeks, and aromatics in the chicken broth, and then just add the milk at the end before pureeing the soup.  I think I will try it that way next time, this is definitely a soup I will return to!