Lambsquarters and Mushroom Quiche

Lambsquarters and Mushroom Quiche

For a weekend away with some friends I made this quiche. I used lambsquarters. Lambsquarters are a plant most people view as a weed. It is, in fact, a plant that seems so pop up almost anywhere ground has been cultivated. It is also very tasty and nutritious. When cooked, the leaves taste a lot like spinach. If you have lambsquarters growing in your yard, rather then tossing them in the compost pile, you might want to eat them, instead. I also added baby portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, fresh basil, parsley and dill and some marsala wine. The end was result was so good.

Lambsquarters and Mushroom Quiche

1 unbaked pie crust – store bought or homemade
1 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, washed and sliced
¼ c. Marsala wine
1 T. each fresh chopped parsley, basil and dill
4-5 c. fresh lambsquarters leaves, washed and steamed until wilted and chopped
8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
2 T. flour
3 eggs
1 c. milk or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste

Place crust in a 9-inch deep dish pan. Set aside. Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until golden. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are a little golden, too. Add wine and herbs and cook until liquid is evaporated. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss 2 cups of the cheese with the flour and place in pie crust. Add the onion mixture and lambsquarters. Combine eggs with milk and seasonings, beat until smooth and pour over the ingredients in the pie crust. Top with remaining cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake 45 minutes to an hour. Check quiche for doneness by inserting a knife off center. If it is clean, quiche is done. Makes 1.