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There’s nothing we love more than waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee. Especially when we don’t have to do the dishes after we eat. Auberge on the Vineyard in Cloverdale, California gets this. Set beside scenic vineyards and lavender fields, the B&B serves up French-inspired breakfast dishes like Classic Quiche Lorraine (using the innkeeper’s mom’s original recipe!).
Photo courtesy of Auberge on the Vineyard
Just in case a trip to Cloverdale isn’t in your near future, here’s how it’s done (but we suggest you make your way out west to try Auberge’s crème de la crème quiche in person):
Ingredients:
Pre-baked deep-dish pie crust
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
Chicken broth
6 slices of thick bacon
8 ounces Gruyere cheese
6 large eggs
2 3/4 cups half and half
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. As the onions start to dry out, add a little broth to the saucepan to keep the onions moist. You may need to do this a few times until the onions have become very soft and are lightly browned.
Step 2: Cut the bacon into small bits and cook in separate saucepan until nicely browned. Set aside.
Step 3: Grate the Gruyere and set aside.
Step 4: Blend together the eggs, half and half and spices, reserving 1/8 cup of the half and half to use to dilute the cornstarch. Once you’ve mixed in the cornstarch, blend the remaining half and half briefly into the mixture. The bottom of the quiche will not be soggy as a result. (This is the first trick.)
Step 5: Spread the soft onion mixture evenly on the bottom of the pie crust. Layer the bacon and cheese on top, and then pour the egg mixture until the crust is filled to the top.
Step 6: Place the quiche on a baking sheet in the oven. Cook for 1 1/4 hours until the top is lightly browned and the mixture is set. (Lower oven temperature is the second trick, which keeps the quiche lighter in texture.)
Step 7: Cool the quiche for 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
