Mad Greens

The garden is in full swing now - especially with the hot weather we've had since, oh, mid-March. It's one of my favorite phases of the garden - the first loot of spring. Lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes and sweet peas. Tonight we're having quiche with garden spinach (recipe to follow) and a salad of fresh greens (ditto on the recipe) from our significant green patch. Oh, and there's a bit of lavender in the patch too.

Quiche

I've  been using my Better Homes and Gardens quiche recipe for years. I just use it as a base. I typically throw in whatever we have in the fridge, including carrots, zucchini, prosciutto, broccoli - you get the picture. Tonight we happened to have some ham and fresh spinach.

Crust Ingredients
1 1/4 cups of white flour
1/3 cup shortening
5 tbsp. water

Method
Mix the flour and shortening with a pastry blender, then add the water one tablespoon as a time. Roll it out and bake it at 425 degrees for eight minutes. Set it aside.

Base Quiche Ingredients
8 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Method
Pour into the pie crust and bake it at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, or until it is set up. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
 

Fresh Greens Salad

Ingredients
1:1 salt and pepper
1:1 olive oil and balsamic vinegar
1-2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced

Method
Cover the bottom of a medium bowl with a light layer of salt and pepper (very light if you don't like things salty). Then put in a 1:1 ration of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The amount will depend on the amount of lettuce you use. Throw in the sliced tomatoes and onions and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover with lettuce and toss when ready to serve.

I learned how to make this salad when I studied abroad in Tours, France, and lived with a host family. We ate this salad regularly. Now it's a staple of our summer diet and my signature dish at BBQs in the early summer!