Wild Spinach Quiche With Cheddar And Mushroom

Many recipes on this blog have come from ingredients that I have foraged or discovered in my garden; this is one of them! Often dismissed as a weed, Wild Spinach is a readily available green and a nutritional powerhouse. Compared to other forage labels, its flavor is surprisingly mild, making it a versatile and easy addition to dishes.
Wild spinach( Chenopodium album) has a range of names depending on its location including Lambsquaters(!), Fat Hen (!!) , Pigsweed(!!!), Goosefoot (!!!!) and, rather simply, Indian Spinach. It grows in abundance in our rather wild little garden, and this year, it has replaced the spinach that I had intended to grow (but forgotten to water).

If you enjoy foraging you may also want to check out these recipes! Rowanberry And Apple Jelly, Classic Swedish Rosehip Soup, and this Homemade Swedish Cloudberry Jam And Jelly.

Of course, you can use wild mushrooms, either dried or fresh, for this recipe. While I’m comfortable foraging chanterelles, other varieties can be tricky. So, I went with forest button mushrooms from the store for this recipe.
You can also use this quiche base to make mini quiches or any filling of your choice.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 3 dl all-purpose flour
• 125 g (4.5 oz) cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1-2 tablespoons ice water
  
  Filling:
  150g Mushrooms of choice
  1 yellow onion
  3tbsp butter or olive oil – for sauteing
  150g grated cheddar
  4 large eggs
  300ml milk
  salt and pepper to season

Method:

1. Cut the butter into small pieces.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and butter. Use your fingers or a food processor to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the ice water and stir quickly until the dough comes together. Press the dough into a 25-28 cm (10-11 inch) pie plate. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 225°C (435°F). Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
   
5. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Peel and finely slice the onion. And roughly grate the cheese.
6. In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms and then onions in a little butter.
    
7. Fill the pie crust with the mushrooms, sautéed onions, wild spinach, and grated cheddar cheese. ( save a few mushroom slices and spinach leaves to use to decorate the top of the quiche)
8. Beat the eggs and milk together, season with salt and pepper, and pour into the pan form to coat all of the vegetables. Place a few wild spinach leaves and mushrooms on top for decoration.
9. Place the quiche in the middle of the oven at 225°C /400° F and bake until golden brown.
   
   Serve with a crunchy fresh salad!