A brilliant quiche

I’ve been doing a little wine reading lately, and a word that keeps popping up is “brilliant.” It doesn’t relate to intellect but to surprise and fortuitousness and spark, to something that is just immediately right on the taste buds. That would be this Quiche from the December (and final) issue of  Cooking Light magazine. Putting it together, I wasn’t entirely sure about the unusual combination of ingredients, but with the first forkful, those doubts vanished. It is brilliant!

Egg count (5) is up in this recipe but cheese (2 ounces) is way down, and you can substitute reduced-fat milk for the whole milk called for (I did with no problem).  Most importantly, the vegetable count is way up with the inclusion of Swiss chard, mushrooms and garlic, along with the substitution of crispy roasted sweet potato slices for pie crust. Win, win and win!

Mushroom Quiche with sweet potato crust

Oil cooking spray

10 to 12 ounces sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin enough to read through (a mandoline slicer would be a big help here)

1 tablespoon EVOO

4 cups sliced fresh wild mushrooms

2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic

5 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk (or reduced-fat)]2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup thinly sliced Swiss chard leaves (stems discarded)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons home-made or purchased basil pesto

Heat oven to 400°. Spray a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with cooking spray; line with sweet potato slices in overlapping circles. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Remove from oven; press softened sweet potato into dish and up sides with backs of two forks.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid and are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, grated cheese, chiffonaded chard, salt and pepper. Set mushrooms in even layer on crust. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms. Dollop with pesto evening. Bake until set in center, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Cut into 8 slices and serve with a salad although it seems almost redundant.