Purple Potato & Carrot Quiche (Tasty, Pretty, Veggie & Gluten Free!)

This is a beautiful, colorful springtime quiche that replaced pie crust with a crispy shell of purple potatoes. Wonderful for veggie, gluten-free friends.

Materials:

Veggies for Roasting:

• 3 baby or smallish purple or blue potatoes, sliced into wedges/slices
• 2 small gold potatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into thin sticks
• A handful of small broccoli florets
• Half a medium zucchini, chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

Custard:

• 5 large organic free-range eggs
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream, Half and Half, or sour cream
• Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

• 1-1/2 c. your favorite cheese, grated. Swiss, Cheddar, or Gruyère - it's all good

Optional:

• Add a half cup chopped sweet onion to the roasted vegetable mix.
• Add some chopped chives or spring onions to the custard.
• Add a tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs to the custard - parsley, marjoram, or basil.

Methods:

1. First, roast your veggies. Toss the veggies and garlic in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper; roast in a 375F oven until fork tender, ~40min. Remove and set aside. Keep the oven on.
2. Prepare the custard. Mix eggs, milk product and nutmeg. Whip with a whisk till frothy.
3. Butter a 9-inch pie plate or ramekin (the latter preferable).
4. Spoon the roasted veggies into the plate and arrange them evenly. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Pour the custard over the veggies and cheese, allowing it to seep in and around all the vegetables.
5. Bake the quiche in the center of the oven till set and golden, about 25 to 35 minutes. Test doneness with the wiggle method [jiggle the pie plate a bit to see if the center shimmies; if it does, cook for five more minutes] or if it's very close to done, insert a small thin knife into the center - if it emerges clean, you're good to go.
6. Set the hot quiche on a wire rack to cool a bit before slicing and serving (this allows for a more precise slice).
7. Serve with a salad of baby spring greens and glasses of crisp white wine. Raise your glass and toast spring.

Source:

Gluten Free Goddess

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/03/purple-potato-quiche.html?m=1

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint and Lemon

Materials

• 1 bone-in leg of lamb, 6 to 9 lbs**
• 1 c. coarsely chopped fresh mint, plus 1/2 c. small fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 c. extra virgine olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic (use more if you like!)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. dry white wine
• 1-1/2 c. low-salt chicken broth

Optional:

• Potatoes, Onions and Carrots to Roast Alongside

Methods

1. Put the lamb in a 4-quart, 15x10-inch glass baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the chopped mint, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, 2 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper. Spread the mixture over the lamb and turn to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning once.
2. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Put on a v-rack in a 13x16-inch flameproof roasting pan. Cover the shank bone with foil. Add the reserved pelvic bone and 1 cup of water (or broth/wine!) to the pan.
3. If roasting vegetables, coat with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and position around the lamb.
4. Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 450F.
5. Put the lamb in the oven and lower the heat to 350F. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the leg, away from the bone, reads 130-135F, ~1-1/2 to 2 hours.
6. Transfer the lamb (and vegetables) to a warm platter and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, skim the fat from the top of the pan juices and then set the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add the wine. and with a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bts. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has reduced to ~1/4 c. Add the broth, return to a boil, and reduce the liquid again to ~1 c. Season to taste with salt and pepper, strain into a sauceboat, and stir in the mint leaves. Carve the lamb and serve with the sauce.
8. Wrap the leftover lamb and store sauce in airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 month.

** Look for young lamb, fine grain and pale-to-dark meat. Layer of fat should be smooth and white and any bone should be porous, moist and red. Ask butcher not to break shank bone but simply cut tendons that attach meat to the bone, allowing meat to shrink during cooking. Best to tie the meat to the bone to give it a more compact shape for better roasting and carving. Ask the butcher for a pelvic bone to give great flavor to the sauce.

Notes:

Made for College Ave Housewarming & Make Your Momma Proud Mother's Day Parties 2011.

Source:

Adapted from Fine Cooking April May 2010