If life deals you lemons make lemonade!: Culture Through Cookery: A qui il a été beaucoup donné, il sera beaucoup demandé!

Although known as a classic French dish, the quiche originated in Germany. The word quiche means "cake" which came from the German word Kuchen. Today, quiche is considered as typically French. However, savoury custards in pastry were known in English cuisine at least as early as the fourteenth century. Quiche Lorraine is a popular variant that was originally an open pie with a filling of custard with smoked bacon or lardons. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine. The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au gruyère or a quiche vosgienne.

Perrine and Marie, our demonstrators for the evening, get us into the French spirit

The 'quiche alsacienne' is similar to the 'quiche lorraine', though onions are added to the recipe. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough but that has since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry crust that is often baked using a springform pan (which we really recommend! It makes presenting it much simpler!).

The origin of quiche lorraine is rural and the original quiche lorraine had a rustic style: it was cooked in a cast-iron pan and the pastry edges were not crimped. Today, quiche lorraine is served throughout France and has a modern look with a crimped pastry crust. In France, the version is unlike that served in the UK; the bacon is cubed (lardons are used) , no onions are added and the custard base is thicker. We discussed this and we thought it might be because creme fraiche has not been available easily very in the UK until fairly recently, so perhaps this is why British recipes traditionally usually use milk.

For pudding we made a family recipe of Marie's - Tartouilleau. Marie used to cook this cake often with her grandma when she was a child.

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How to make pastry
Il ne faut pas fair ces choses a moitié

Due to the size of the oven, we also made one quiche in advance using ready-made pastry. This also allowed everyone to taste the difference between ready-made and homemade.

Ingredients (makes enough for two large tartes/ quiches)
350g plain flour
175g softened butter
100ml water
1 pinch of salt

Method

Chop the softened butter into very small pieces and add to a large mixing bowl.

Measure the flour and salt and add to the bowl with the butter. Using your fingers (well-washed!) mix the butter and the flour together. Flour your hands so that they don't become too sticky.

And you should end up with a soft ball like this!

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Spinach and Bacon Quiche

Ingredients
250g fresh spinach
250g lardons (you could use unsmoked bacon if you cannot find lardons)
3 eggs
400ml crème fraiche
70g grated gruyere cheese (or grated mature cheddar)
salt, pepper

Method

Preheat the over to 210 degrees C.

Put the lardons into a hot pan until they cook. You don't need to add any fat as they have lots of fat of their own.

Whilst the lardons are cooking, halve the pastry that you have already made and roll each quantity out until it is large enough to fill your quiche tins as in the picture below.

Prick the bottom of each quiche with a fork.

Wash the spinach

When the lardons are more or less cooked, add the spinach and let it wilt. Stir occasionally so that all the spinach cooks.

Put the creme fraiche into a large mixing bowl and break in the eggs. Add a good pinch of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

With a wooden spoon break the yolks and stir the mixture together.

When the spinach is cooked, add the lardons and spinach into the egg mixture.

Stir in the cheese

Pour the filling mixture into the pastry case. Pop it into the oven for around 30 minutes or until set.

And here you have it!

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Tomato and Goats Cheese Tarte.
This is an immensely simple tarte to make, but utterly delicious.

Ingredients:
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
Dijon mustard
Basil leaves
Goats cheese (5 slices)
Pepper, Salt,
Oregano

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C
Line the pastry in a tart pan (You could use half the quantity of what is given above).
Pierce it with a fork.
Spread mustard on the pastry (a thin layer- add more if you like dijon- it give a wonderful kick)
Spread the sliced tomatoes and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

This is the tarte after it has been cooked for 30 minutes.

Add the slices of goats cheese

Put a pinch of oregano on each slice of cheese and add basil leaves. Place back into the oven for 3 minutes just before serving, so that the cheese melts.

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Tartouilleau

Ingredients
5/6 eating apples, peeled and cut into small chunks.
2 eggs
100g caster sugar
200g plain flour
100g melted butter
1tbsp baking powder

Method
Preheat the oven at 140 degrees C
Place the apple chunks into the bottom of a cake tin (3 inches deep, 8 inches wide or similar)

Mix the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl

Whisk them together until the mixture becomes white

Add the flour

Add the butter (in small, soft pieces) and mix vigorously until combined.

Pour the mixture on top of the apples. Place in the oven . Cook for an hour.

This recipe would also work with pears.

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As a final flourish for the evening, Perrine surprised us with Frogs and Snails that she had already prepared. This is the British stereotype of French food, but both Perrine and Marie said that they never have prepared them before and don't eat them at home - there is not much meat on a frog to justify the work that goes into preparing them!