27 Oct A spelt “Quiche du jour”, inspired by Paris

Salmon, leek and brie quiche with a spelt crust

I didn’t expect much from a rushed lunch at a Parisian cafe near the Eiffel Tower. I certainly didn’t expect the best quiche I’ve ever had. After walking down the Champs Ellises from the Arc de Triompfe, across the bridge and all the way along the Seine, my children were having meltdowns at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Lunch would have to come before anything. We began walking to the recommended restaurant, 15min away. As anyone with children might guess, we didn’t make it. 12min away from the said recommended restaurant we settled on Cafe Gustave, perhaps because it was reminiscent of something we’ve seen in Ratatoiulle, but mainly because we saw a couple of available tables outside, where we could fit comfortably. We grabbed them in desperation. I immediately ordered the “quiche du jour” from the board, as even looking at a menu felt beyond my capabilities at that point. I was rewarded with a huge slice of the most sumptuous quiche, layered with smoked salmon and caramelised vegetables, such as aubergine (eggplant) and courgette (zucchini). There was a kind of pesto oil drizzled over the top. People complain about slow service in France, but I spent the whole waiting time doing the tiny toilet trip with two girls unused to French toilets. Much of the cafe had also squeezed down there with us. Coming out into the bright daylight felt like getting out of jail, I imagine. The quiche arrived very soon after that and the world miraculously began to improve. Sadly (or perhaps happily) taking a photograph of this delightful quiche was the furthest thing from my mind. The others were enjoying their soups, beers and Croques Madames, but my quiche was by far the best thing I saw anyone eating.

My own “quiche du jour”

On my return to the UK, inspired by the Parisian one, I made my own “quiche du jour”. Mine was with smoked salmon trimmings, caramelised leeks and brie, with a spelt crust. It was more shallow than the original, but very good all the same. My partner asked me to make it more often. Unfortunately, my girls don’t love quiche, but perhaps it can be part of our adult lunch repertoire. Next time, I will make it in a deeper dish, adding an egg and some more creme fraiche to the filling. What makes this quiche special, I believe, is the caramelised vegetables and the pesto drizzle. I used leeks and red pepper, as this is what I had in the fridge. I understand that this is what “quiche du jour” is about: using what you have available.

A recipe for spelt quiche with smoked salmon, leek and brie

2 leeks Half red pepper 100g smoked salmon trimmings Salt and white pepper 3 tablespoons virgin olive oil Handful basil Garlic salt Squeeze of lemon