Mini Cheese & Onion Quiches [and an update] - Q's Kitchen

Mini Cheese & Onion Quiches [and an update]

It's been a while.. almost six months in fact and although this place reeks of abandonment and neglect, worry not for I am here! (albeit briefly, most likely). 
It has been a busy few months but it feels like I've blinked and half the year is gone and time just seems to be whizzing by at bottleneck  speed. We had a good summer this year, to the extent that people cancelled their holidays abroad to sun it up in England of all places. There was lots of ice cream, suncream and day-trips oh and it was World Cup season, meaning an abundance of flags, a trashed Ikea and a semi-final viewing party in the hospital lab.
I also did a lil something that I've been hoping to do for quite some time now, drumroll please, I passed my driving test first time around back in April and I bought my first car! Alhamdulillah a million times over.  My parents also went to Hajj this year which is a huge blessing, they returned from Saudi Arabia about two week ago and since then we've been inundated with bouquets, chocolates, gifts, cake and many a visitor. 
And although this year they weren't home for Eid, we preserved and made it work; there was presents, a family visit and a roast chicken dinner cooked by yours truly. Other firsts of mine include climbing a mountain (Ingleborough, which is the second highest in the Yorkshire Dales), descending down a cave, adopting a cat (not really, but its a matter of time), walking up the cliffs of the Great Orme, trying archery, sampling blood and making quiche. 
Yep, I've never made quiche before, but I did a few weeks ago after my sisters insistence that we buy one at the supermarket, only this quiche was outrageously small and ridiculously overpriced and I thought we could do better. Lo and behold, a little search on one of my favourite food blogs unearthed a gem of a recipe that I've made multiple times since. 
I'm talking buttery flaky shortcrust, sweet caramelised onions and a soft, cheesy filling. The flavour payoff is amazing and the ratio of pasty to filling is spot-on, need I say more.

So to make these Mini Cheese and Onion Quiches you will need the following ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry
Onions
 Eggs
Cheddar cheese
Soft cheese
Double cream
Butter / oil
Worcestershire sauce
Malt vinegar
Soy sauce
Stage 1: The Onions
We begin by slicing up around 2 and 1/2 large onions and although this seems like a crazy amount, its akin to the spinach scenario where it cooks down completely.
In a large pan heat up 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of salted butter and some oil to stop it burning.
Add in your sliced onions along with 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 3/4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 3/4 tbsp malt vinegar. Stir to ensure everything is well coated and cook on a medium flame for a few minutes.
Cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook on a low flame for around 15-20 minutes or until the onions have cooked down. Uncover the pan and cook on a high heat for a few minutes to further caramelise and darken the onions slightly. Set this aside until needed.
Stage 2: The Filling
In a jug crack in 5-6 eggs depending on their size, pour in 150ml of double cream, 150ml of milk, 1 tbsp of soft cheese, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 back pepper. Grate up some cheddar and sprinkle a little into the egg mixture and give everything a good whisk together.
Stage 3: The Pastry
We are using shortcrust pastry for this base, this can be the store-bought frozen kind that needs time for defrosting or you can make your own! Either way roll out your pastry on a lightly floured surface, make sure that its not too thin that it tears or too thick that it doesn't cook through (no soggy bottoms here).
Then using a cutter, plate or other random kitchen item cut out around 12 (or more!) pastry circles.
Lightly grease your muffin trays and pop the circles into there allocated spots, overlap and press the dough slightly to create the right shape.
Stage 4: The Assembling
Into each pastry casing add a generous spoonful of caramelised onion, top with with some grated cheddar then pour in the egg mixture until it almost reaches the top, sprinkle on some more cheese if desired and finish with some mixed herbs.
Stage 5: The Baking
Cook the quiches (is the plural or quiche even quiches??) in a Gas Mark 6 oven for around 25 minutes or until golden brown and the pasty is cooked. 
Stage 6: The Consuming
Serve with sides of your choice, I went with curly fries and a fresh salad. The quiche taste great fresh from the oven when the pastry and filling is all bubbly and golden, but it also tastes nice cold (I can attest to this having packed some for my lunch today).
😋
Enjoy!

A few pictures for those who stayed to the end (or just for me when I'm looking back on this!)
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque in Medina
The rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales 
Our summer harvest of plums 
Fresh hot doughnuts by the waterfront  
The view of Llandudno bay from the cliffs of the Great Orme 
Pink summer peonies  
Conwy Castle and its exquisite gardens  
Hajj Mubarak, an abundance of gifts
A giant amongst men / my little brother towering over the trees
Q x

No comments