Spring may have been a little slow in arriving but it is certainly here now. At the farmers market this weekend I found some of the first of the locally grown asparagus. In addition to the asparagus I found some ramps and some morel mushrooms both of which I had been wanting to try. Ramps , or wild leeks are a member of the onion family and they are commonly described as tasting like a cross between onions and garlic. Given that I use onions and garlic so commonly in my cooking, I just had to try the ramps.
One of my favorite ways to welcome in Springs fresh produce is with an asparagus quiche . I figured that an asparagus quiche with morel mushrooms and ramps would be tasty indeed. I had been wanting to try a brown rice crust for a quiche for a while now and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. The brown rice crust sounded lighter and healthier than the more standard pie pastry crust. The pictures that I had seen of the brown rice crust always looked nice and golden brown and good.
The brown rice crust was really easy to make. It is pretty much just some cooked brown rice, an egg and some cheese that is pre-baked in the pie plate for a few minutes before pouring in the quiche filling and baking the quiche. The quiche was as easy as mixing and baking making this a pretty simple recipe overall. The asparagus, morel mushroom and ramp quiche with a brown rice crust turned out great! The brown rice crust baked up nice and golden brown and it was slightly crispy. I will definitely be using this brown rice crust again. The quiche itself was nice and tasty! It is hard to go wrong with eggs, milk and cheese and the ramps added an amazing aroma and flavour to the quiche. The morel mushrooms were really good, though at the price that I paid for them they will be a special occasion item. This quiche was an amazing way to welcome in Springs bounty this year! Now I need to come up with some more ideas for enjoying ramps while they are in season.
Asparagus, Morel and Ramp Quiche with a Brown Rice Crust
ingredients
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup gruyere (grated)
- 1 egg
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup gruyere (grated)
- 1/2 pound morel mushrooms
- 1/2 pound asparagus (cut into 1-inch long pieces and steamed)
- 3 ramps (chopped)
- salt and pepper to taste
directions
- Mix the rice, cheese and egg in a bowl.
- Press the rice mixture into a pie plate, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake in a preheated 450F/230C oven until the edges and bottom just start turning golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Mix the eggs, milk, cheese, mushrooms, asparagus and ramps in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust.
- Bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven until golden brown and set in the center, about 30-35 minutes.
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Very nice! Great colours.
I make a morel tart you might like as well:
http://danamccauley.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/dana’s-big-gardening-adventure-week-five
i love quiches! this one is so creative, especially with the brown rice crust. and ramps… mmmm… i’m drooling 🙂
The idea of rice sounds wonderful in the quiche…great looking one…
That crust! Brilliant. And all the rest of this creation too. Morels I have enjoyed rarely but such a treat.
This photo is beautiful! I have never heard of asparagus quiche, but love the idea. I plan on making this as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh asparagus. Great job!
ooh, morel’s evaded me, but this looks amazing 🙂
Beautiful Color. Kevin, do the ramps add anything that onions and garlic don’t? I find the brown rice crust very interesting.
I love the idea of the brown rice crust since I make brown rice often and it would be so much healthier than the traditional crust. Will have to try this one.
Kevin, saw your comment about being new to ramps.
I made a ramp, parm and guanciale tart recently that might be right up your alley. Feel free to come take a look!
PS – I love the idea of the rice crust. One of my favorite things from childhood was a puffed rice cake that my dad would get from the Chinese restaurant down the street that was like one giant rice krispie.
I kind of imagine the crust would be similar in texture to that.
oh that looks so good! i’ll admit I was pulled in by the mention of morel mushrooms. you’re lucky to get your hands on some. D: out here we scavenge for them in the woods…but they’re very inconsistant. some years we get bucket loads for the freezer, other years we HEAR that someone found ONE.
i’ve been meaning to try my hand at a quiche…and i think my family would really enjoy this one. 🙂
I want to cook with ramps! I still have yet to find some around here.
Your quiche is gorgeous! Food should always be this pretty.
Morels were always Dad’s thing. Any time it rained he’d grab a bucket and go to the woods. Claimed they were wonderful but I’ve never cared for any mushrooms. But I got to be an expert at finding them for Daddy.
This dish is just shouting Springtime, I love it! The brown rice crust is a really cool idea too – I’m going to have to remember that!
I love the idea of a brown rice crust – your quiche looks so flavorful!
What a great idea for the crust! I always have a hard time eating what is, essentially, a pie for dinner. Having the crust be a bit healthier is much more appealing to me. And the filling is spring personified. yum!
Oh, I love the idea of the rice crust! How innovative!
A great idea! That healthy quiche looks really delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
That sounds like the spring-iest quiche ever. And I’m totally going to have to try this brown rice crust. Last time I made quiche, I used a very delicious, but very high fat version (lots of butter and cream cheese). Wouldn’t hurt to lighten it up a bit…
That quiche looks good! Love the addition of rice!
This quiche is to die for!
I made a quiche too…must be that time of year. I love your brown rice crust. I will have to try that sometime. It definitely does sound healthy.
I love the idea of the rice crust..I’ve never had a morel..but i love the look and wanted to pick some up..good nudge~
I’d love to try a slice of that, Kevin.
I love spring just for ramps, asparagus, and morels. I went out Sunday hunting for them at grandma’s house and came up empty handed. I guess I could break down and go buy some.
Nicely done!
wonderful color…I want this dish…mmmm mmmm good.
You know, I STILL haven’t seen any ramps or morels yet! I feel deprived. This looks delicious, if anything says spring to me, it’s this.
I can’t wait to try out this crust. My family loves when I make quiche, and this sounds like a healthier approach. Thanks Kevin!
The brown rice crust sounds great. I have to try that!
I have been wanting to try ramps for quite awhile. I’ll have to watch for them at our local farmer’s market. I love the idea of the brown rice crust – so much healthier!
http://www.cookincanuck.com
I am loving just about anything with asparagus these days. This looks fantastic!
This looks and sounds delicious.
Michelle
That sounds delicious!
I am impressed. The brown rice crust is a great idea and the ingredients in this quiche are delicious.
I like the change in your banner to represent the change in seasons. I’m dying to change mine as well! But I’m so cyber-challenged!
I had heard of brown rice crusts but had never known of anyone that tried them. This looks great and I love the complexity of flavours, I like that you kicked it up a notch from just asparagus! Morels are increadible and they pair so well with oniony flavours!
Hi Kevin. That looks delicious! I’ve been reading your blog for awhile (de-lurking here…) I wanted to let you know I FINALLY got a food blog up and running (with my sister). Feel free to check it out! I always enjoy your posts!
Ramps, ramps, ramps…wherever we turn! These things are popping up like weeds. The quiche sounds quite yummy.
Such a tasty lookin quiche! Very colorful 🙂
Great pics!
I happened onto your blog and am really enjoying reading your posts. Love the brown rice crust idea.
I love the idea of using brown rice to get a healthy crust. I will definitely use that. I wonder if other cheeses (parmesan, pecorino) would work as well.
I’m so jealous. I can’t find morels and love them. Lovely use of brown rice for the crust. I’m not a huge pastry fan and am always looking for healthy (but tasty) alternatives.
The brown rice crust is a great idea!
That looks like my kind of quiche, nice and deep!
I am so happy it morel time! GREG
Mary: The ramps in this quiche definitely tasted different than the onions and garlic would have but the onion and garlic version would also work well.
Dana: Given that quiches are made with eggs, I have always see them as more a savoury breakfast food rather than dinner. 🙂
msmeanie: I had a hard time choosing between the gruyere, parmigiano reggiano and pecorino romano cheeses. I would think that they would all be great!
This looks so good! I love veggie quiche and I love the brown rice crust. Great recipe and fabulous color too!
I love your quiche, it’s full of color. I’ve never used ramps before, I’m going to have to check these out!
I’ve never seen a brown rice crust, but it looks delicious!
All the best of spring in one dish! I would love to try this – I can only hope that I’ll find ramps at the farmer’s market. I’ve been keeping my eyes open but time may be running out. Fantastic dish!
Kevin,
I stumbled onto your blog last week. I’ve gotten so many great ideas here. Thank you!
And I’m so making this. I’m curious to try the brown rice crust!
Brown rice crust, so very creative.
Yum, I just bought a bunch of morels, looking for a good recipe to put them to use, thanks for the idea!
This is one fancy quiche! i love the brown rice crust idea and wonderful flavors with asparagus and ramp and morels!
OOOOOOHHHH Kevin, what an excellent & alternative quiche!! ramps, morel mushrooms & asparagus & a brown rice crust!! What a creative idea!!
These pictures look fenomenal & the quiche looks exquisit!!
When are you going to open your restaurant? Or publice your own book??
I’m off to the front lawn to see if I can harvest enough morels for this quiche! Yes, I have morels in the lawn, because our land was once used for charcoal making, and the residual ash seems to make the edges of the woods hospitable for morels.
This looks delicious, Kevin! I’m jealous that your farmer’s market is open already! And I love the idea of the brown rice crust, makes a gluten-free diet even easier. 🙂
Gorgeous, it looks very fresh and green 🙂
We actually picked wild asparagus and morels this weekend! The morels freak me out quite a bit… but this sounds like a great way to eat them!
What a lovely spring dish! Will be on my “Spring Sunday Brunch” short list!
The brown rice crust is fantastic kevin-thanks for the inspiration
I made this yesterday – it was very nice, but I think that 5 minutes to cook the brown rice crust is not long enough – mine was a bit soggy. I’d give it a bit longer.
Love the crust idea! I’m going to have to try that.
All of your food looks so refreshing and fresh! I love it and have to try it!
Great looking quiche, Kevin. We have similar onions to these that grow wild in our garden. Here they are called winter onions, they look like spring onions but have more flavor.
Wow! This sounds and looks delicious. I hope it’s not too late for me to get more ramps in the market!
I love the brown rice crust! This quiche, as with everything I have tried of yours, was easy to make and so delicious! Thank you…again!
wow what a great site to find just looks fantastic food wise I'm going to have a go at as many as I can.
thanks for all your hard work:O)
wow what an amazing site all this lovley food can i swap the wholemeal flours for gluten free flour and still get the same results does anyone know?
I realize it is 2 years after the fact, but just made this. the brown rice crust IS GENIUS! made it with ramps only (upped it to about 8 ramps or so). but the crust – light and fantastic. thanks.