Seafood Quiche

Quiche is one of my favorite brunch items. I love its simplicity and adaptability. Use any cheese and protein you like, or make it vegetarian. There are endless possible combinations. When I first started baking, quiche was one of the first few things I learned to make. It was a good starting point, for the outcome greatly boasted the confidence of this novice baker.

Of course I must admit that I had help. I used the store bought pie crust insteads of making my own! A practice I still keep now. As much as I love baking from scratch, having a box of Pillsbury Unroll and Fill Pie Crust in the freezer offers me the spontaneity when the craving strikes.

The original recipe comes from Clark, who uploaded his recipe on allrecipe.com. I have made the recipe many times and switched the cheeses and proteins with other varieties. The results are always delicious.

This seafood version was made for a lunch party at our place a while ago. My friends loved it and asked for the recipe. I am sharing it with you here and I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!

Seafood Quiche
adapted from here

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

filling:
4 slices thick sliced bacon
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (about 5 ounces)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) of low fat sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely diced
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, finely diced
1.5 cups of cooked seafood (prawn, crab, mussel, scallop etc)
1 cup of Shredded Monterey Jack cheese + Shredded Cheddar cheese + grated Parmesan (or any hard cheeses you like)
4 eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Unroll the pie crust onto a 9-inch oiled pie plate. Keep it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

Cook spinach according to package instructions. Allow to cool, then squeeze dry.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Stir in mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes, or until soft. Stir in cooked seafood and cooked bacon. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, sour cream, salt and pepper. Spread into pie crust. Layer with bacon mixture. Mix together Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Parmesan, and sprinkle over pie. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over pie.

Place pie on baking sheet, and bake on middle shelf in preheated oven for 40 minutes. The top will be puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven, and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.