Savory Spinach and Cheese Quiche and White Bean and Garden Vegetable Soup

So many people have asked me for the recipes for the Savory Spinach and Cheese Quiche and White Bean and Garden Vegetable Soup since I posted them yesterday so here they are. 

I make quiche and soup to use up things that I have  left over in the refrigerator so I don't waste food. The recipe always has variations based on the ingredients i have on hand. Enjoy!

Savory Spinach and Cheese Quiche

Chef Tony Pisconeri

Serves 4 – 8

Ingredients:

9-inch butter pie crust (recipe of your choice or store bought)

3 cups shredded cheese of your choice (swiss, cheddar, Monterey jack, gruyere, mozzarella)

½ cup chopped baby spinach

5 eggs beaten

½ cup heavy cream

¾ cup half and half or whole milk

1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic (fresh garlic can be used)

1/8 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon dried basil

1 Tablespoon hot sauce or Siracha sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees

Line a 9-inch pie plate with butter pastry. Place shredded cheese in the bottom of the pastry and top with chopped spinach. In a bowl beat the eggs, add the heavy cream, half and half or milk, garlic, thyme, basil, hot sauce, salt and pepper and mix well.

Pour mixture over the cheese and spinach, mixture should cover spinach. Press spinach down in the  mixture and bake in 350-degree oven until puffed and set (approx. 45 minutes)

White Bean and Garden Vegetable Soup

Chef Tony Pisconeri

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 small onion chopped

2 stalk celery chopped

2 clove garlic minced

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped

1 cup fresh vegetables of your choice (optional)

2 cups cooked white cannelloni beans (or beans of your choice)

4 cups vegetable stock

Pinch of thyme

Pinch of rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Sauté onion, garlic, celery and carrots in olive oil until translucent and starting to soften. Add tomatoes, beans, vegetables, vegetable stock, herbs and seasonings.

Bring to a slow simmer and continue to simmer until vegetables are soft and tender.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated fresh Parmesan cheese.

Vegetarian Thai Spring Rolls with Hoisin Peanut Sauce

Spring is a great time of year to see fresh vegetables and greens
starting to show up at your local markets and gardens.

What better way to feature the color, texture, flavor of these 

beautiful vegetables wrapped in a translucent rice wrapper 

and served with a spicy hoisin peanut sauce. Just yum!

Vegetarian Thai Spring Rolls with Hoisin Peanut Sauce

Chef Tony Pisconeri

Ingredients:

 Hoisin Peanut Sauce:

    ½ cup hoisin sauce (gluten-free if preferred)

    2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

    2 tablespoons water

    1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar

    1 tablespoon Siracha sauce

    Crushed roasted peanuts for garnish

Spring Rolls:

    2 oz dried rice sticks or rice vermicelli

    1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

    1 package 12-in (30 cm) round rice paper wrappers

    * 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, ends trimmed (any type of sprouts can be used)

    * 1 cup shredded garden greens

    * 1 cup carrots or radishes, cut into matchsticks

   * 1 cup garden cucumber, seeded and julienned

   *  4 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

    * 4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

    * 8 large or 16 small red leaf lettuce leaves, cut in half lengthwise

* In season locally grown and sourced when possible

Instructions:

Make the sauce: Bring the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, water vinegar and Siracha to a boil in a saucepan over moderately high heat. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Garnish the sauce with crushed peanuts. Set aside.

Place the rice sticks in a large bowl. Pour enough hot water over to cover. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. Toss with the sesame oil.

Fill a large, flat bowl with warm water, making sure it is large enough to fit the rice paper wrappers. Lay a clean towel on the workspace in front of you. Carefully dip a rice paper wrapper into the water, just to get it wet all over, trying not to crack it. It will still be slightly hard. Remove it from the water and lay it onto a damp paper towel, where it will continue to soften.

Layer a small amount of each of the ingredients on the bottom 1/3 of the wrap. Start with a lettuce leaf, then about 1 tablespoon of bean sprouts, then some noodles, followed by some pieces of carrot and cucumber and then top with 2 leaves of the basil and 2 leaves of the mint. Fold up the bottom 1/3, fold in the sides and roll up the rest of the length to make an egg roll shape. Set aside and continue with the rest of the ingredients until all the rice paper wrappers are used. Cut rolls in half on a diagonal. 

Serve with hoisin peanut dipping sauce.

Culinary Cooking Classes with Chef Tony Pisconeri

Chef Tony Pisconeri is now offering custom cooking classes that explore culinary skills and a wide variety of cuisine cultures. Classes can be scheduled for individuals or small groups up to 6 students. The classes can be customized to learn your individual interests from cooking and culinary skills, methods and techniques, local and international cuisines to shopping excursions for international foods and in season locally grown ingredients. We use authentic recipes and cooking techniques, in season and locally sourced produce and food ingredients when available to prepare delicious dishes. This is a hands-on and chef demonstration and guided class.

The best way to schedule a custom class is to contact Chef Tony Pisconeri at tony@pisconeri.com or text at 404-525-4829. We can discuss the type of class you would like to create, number of students and available dates so we can get it on the schedule.

Class cost is $125.00 per student that includes student tuition, instruction, food and supply costs for the cooking class.

Each class culminates in a delicious multi course meal featuring the foods prepared during the class.

Examples of class options:

Knife Skills and Basic Kitchen Skills

Baking and Pastry Techniques and Skills

Artisan Bread Baking and Sourdough Starters

Hand Made Pasta Making

Sauces and Dressings

Korean Cuisine

Asian/Chinese Cuisine

Japanese Cuisine

Rustic Italian Cuisine

Indian Cuisine

Fermentation and Pickling

Kimchi Class

Healthy Diet/Spa Cuisine

Plan Ahead Cooking for the week

Salads and Soups

Desserts

Southern Cuisine and Soul Food

Fish and Seafood

and many other options.