Good for your insides: salmon and asparagus quiche
Dairy-free / Gluten-Free
This is a beautiful dish for a family lunch or picnic dinner. Canned salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, important for maintaining healthy blood pressure and good brain and eye function. Low levels of omega-3 in the body have been shown to play a role in anxiety and depression, so it’s vital to keep up your intake of omega-3 fats.
Serves: 8
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Pastry
200g fine ground almonds
100g buckwheat flour
¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 egg, lightly whisked
¼ cup cold water
Extra coconut oil for greasing
Filling
¼ cup olive or coconut oil, melted
1 small leek, sliced and washed
6 cups baby spinach, chopped
4 eggs
¼ cup almond milk
2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly torn (or ½ teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
Himalayan salt and pepper
1 x 400g tin salmon, drained
1 small bunch of skinny asparagus
Extra dill for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a pie dish or pie tin with a removable bottom with olive or coconut oil.
2. To make the pastry combine the ground almond, buckwheat flour, salt, pepper and herbs in a bowl and use a fork to mix.
3. Add the egg to the flour mixture, and mix until a breadcrumb mixture forms, then mix the water into the breadcrumb mixture 1 teaspoon at a time until a dough forms. Mould with your hands until it forms one lump of dough.
4. Cover the dough and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove dough from freezer and roll out between two sheets of non-stick baking paper into a 2mm-thick disc that is larger than the pie tin or dish you are using.
6. Carefully place the dough inside your baking dish and push into the tin, making sure to evenly line the base and sides. Cut the excess dough from the top of the tin and use this to patch up any holes or tears in the dough.
7. Using a fork, poke holes in the base of the pastry to allow the steam to release while baking.
8. Bake the pastry for 10–15 minutes, or until browned and firm. There shouldn’t be any soft spots left in the pastry. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the dish.
9. Turn oven down to 180°C.
10. While the crust is cooling slightly you can make the filling. Heat a pan over
a low heat, add the olive oil and leeks and cook until translucent and soft – about 15 minutes. Stir through chopped spinach until wilted, then remove from heat.
11. Whisk together the eggs and milk until thick, then add dill, parsley, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Stir through the leeks, greens and salmon.
12. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and once boiling add asparagus spears and cook for 3 minutes. Remove asparagus and place in bowl of ice-cold water to stop them cooking further.
13. Scoop mixture into pie filling, lay asparagus on top and bake for a further 20–30 minutes.
14. The quiche is cooked when the filling is set but still has a slight wobble in the centre.
15. Remove from oven and serve with the extra dill.
⭐ Get creative with the filling options for the quiche – try leftover cooked chicken, roast vegetables, mushrooms or lots of green veges and pesto.
⭐ Quiche will keep in the fridge for 2 days and is best reheated in the oven.
Photography: Melanie Jenkins, FlashStudios.co.nz
Grow Younger With Great Food is the clever collaboration between Dr Catherine Stone and nutritionist Jessica Giljam-Brown. They share their knowledge of human health and the aging process, providing simple and easily digestible tips on how to naturally and safely improve how you look and feel inside and out, no matter your age. With over 90 delicious and fresh recipes to choose from, there’s something for everyone in this lip-smackingly good cookbook!
Recipe extracts: Grow Younger With Great Food, RRP$40, from selected bookstores nationwide.
AS FEATURED IN ISSUE 48 OF OHbaby! MAGAZINE. CHECK OUT OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE BELOW