Salmon, Leek, and Fennel Quiche (Crustless)

A quick meal to use up a piece of cooked salmon, this crustless quiche is filling without being heavy. Serve it with a crunchy green salad, fresh fruit, or crisp baguette and a glass of Chardonnay. See cook's notes if you'd like to make a smaller version of this quiche using just 2 eggs.

Makes one (9”) quiche or 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the quiche pan or dish
1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs (or almond flour for gluten-free)
2 medium leeks (white and light green parts only), sliced thinly
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thinly
1 garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and crushed red pepper
2-3 ounces (57 -85 grams)cooked salmon, skin removed, and finely chopped (check for bones)
2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, diced or pinched into small pieces (can sub goat cheese)
1 ounce (1/4 cup/28 grams) grated Cheddar cheese
3 large eggs
3/4 cup each: milk and heavy cream (12 oz/1 ½ cups/ 350 ml total)
4 drops Tabasco sauce or more to taste
1 tablespoon (.33 oz/5 grams) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish after baking

Instructions

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 350F. Place rack in top third of oven. Grease a 9” quiche dish or pie plate with butter and sprinkle evenly with the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a medium skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Tip in the leeks and fennel; sprinkle with a pinch each salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Spoon the vegetables evenly into the prepared quiche dish and let cool a few minutes.
LAYER IN THE SALMON AND CHEESES: Scatter the salmon over the leek mixture, dot with the cream cheese, and sprinkle with the Cheddar.
WHISK TOGETHER LIQUID INGREDIENTS AND POUR OVER THE CHEESES: In a large mixing cup or medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, and 4 drops (or more) Tabasco sauce. Slowly pour the mixture evenly on top of the cheeses.
BAKE for about 35 minutes or until barely set (a little jiggly at center) and the crust is golden. Don't over bake. Remove from oven to rack and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving warm. Also lovely at room temperature or cold.
Store cooled leftovers for a day or two well-wrapped in the fridge, keeping in mind your fish was already perhaps a day old when you began.

Notes

Cook’s Notes: For a smaller/thinner quiche (4 servings), reduce the eggs to two, the milk/cream to 1 cup total, the pepper to 1/4 teaspoon, and the Tabasco to 3 drops. (Leave other ingredients as above.) Bake in a 9" quiche dish or pan for about 30 minutes.

If you needn't stick with only fish for your meal, adding a tablespoon or two of minced ham or cooked bacon along with the salmon is tasty indeed.

No leeks or fennel? 1 large yellow onion chopped, a stalk of celery, thinly sliced, and a few tablespoons of chopped sweet pepper sautéed in the butter along with the garlic might be used instead of leeks and fennel.