KALE & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

KALE & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

What better way to start your morning than with an iron packed kale quiche. I love kale & I am always trying to integrate it into many of my recipes. 

This quiche is simple & easy with just 5 main ingredients to really highlight the earthy fresh taste of kale & creamy, yet tangy, goat cheese. Quiches are great because they can be served hot or room temperature & are so versatile. You can add any ingredients you like with endless combinations like leek & bacon, asparagus & parmesan or ham & cheese just to name a few. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 tart shell (frozen, pre-made or homemade)

4 extra large eggs

50 ml egg whites (optional for a fluffy quiche)

splash of milk

1 cup kale

1/2 cup spinach 

2 oz goat cheese 

chopped medley tomatoes

salt & pepper to taste  

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Pierce frozen pie crust with a fork to prevent air bubbles. 

Add four eggs into crust. Gently break up yolks using a fork. 

Finely chop kale & spinach. Gently sauce for 2-3 mins on medium heat to prevent kale edges burning. 

Add kale & spinach to eggs. Add egg whites & splash of milk. Fold in so egg mixture covers kale & spinach. 

Add spoonfuls of goat cheese spaced evenly. Add tomatoes. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes on middle rack. 'Jiggle' the quiche to check if the centre is cooked. 

Broil on high for 2-3 minutes until crust edges are golden brown. 

Top with cracked black pepper & sea salt. Enjoy. 

Tip: Using heavy cream in a quiche gives the filling additional richness & creaminess. 

XO 

Kiran | THE BLANK PLATE


If you liked this post, check out my previous quiche recipe: SPINACH & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

SPINACH & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

SPINACH & GOAT CHEESE QUICHE

Winter is here which means my garden has stopped growing tomatoes. I had a full batch leftover of the last few tomatoes grown so I've been integrating them into many of my recipes.

A quiche is one of those simple yet elegant dishes that can be easily prepared with numerous ingredients for a fancy breakfast or quick dinner. It's also a great way to use leftover ingredients. I had a few ounces of goat cheese leftover, my tomatoes, & a tart shell in the freezer. Some other great ideas for a tart shells can be a ham, broccoli, & cheese quiche or even a seafood tart.

INGREDIENTS

1 tart shell (frozen, pre-made or homemade)

4 eggs

1 cup chopped spinach

1/2 cup arugula

2 oz goat cheese

chopped cherry tomatoes

salt & black pepper to taste

METHOD

Thaw tart shell as directed.

Chop spinach & cherry tomatoes. In a bowl, whisk eggs together & add spinach.

Using a fork, pierce the tart shell & bake at 300 degrees for 5 mins on the middle rack.

Add egg mixture & bake for 15 mins. Once the quiche is half baked, top with goat cheese & chopped cherry tomatoes.

Broil on low heat for 15 mins & top with salt & black pepper to serve with a side of arugula.

XO

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

It's the autumn season, the time of year that grocery stores are filled with harvest vegetables & turkeys. For Thanksgiving this year, I decided to do something different other than the classic turkey with bread stuffing, boring cranberry sauce from a can, or predictable mashed potatoes. For the bakers & chefs in the household, preparing a whole turkey with four sides, two sauces, & two desserts for family & friends can be very overwhelming. I wanted to keep it simple & sophisticated.

I chose to serve a beef roast with a tart cranberry sauce. It's all about time management & with almost all my dishes being baked, it made my Thanksgiving a breeze.

I chose to highlight the quality ingredients such as crisp green beans & sharp aged cheddar with a touch of flavourful herbs. Push aside mother's old recipe box & try new age traditional recipes with a modern unconventional twist.

ROSEMARY ROAST BEEF

1 beef sirloin roast

2 tbsp chopped rosemary

1 tbsp crushed peppercorns

1 tbsp crushed garlic flakes

1 tsp salt

Remove roast from packaging. In a bowl combine crushed peppercorns, rosemary, garlic flakes, & salt. Rub over beef sirloin roast.

Place roast in a shallow roasting pan at 400 degrees. For a medium rare 50-60 mins, pop up medium 60 to 70 minutes, or well done 70 to 80 mins.

Remove roast, cover with aluminum foil & let it rest for 30 mins before slicing to seal in all the juices. Do not clean the roasting pan.

THYME GRAVY

beef drippings in pot

splash of white wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 beef bouillon cube

1 tbsp thyme leaves

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp butter

Remove any burnt pieces in pan. Keep the heat on medium & deglaze the pan with a generous splash of white wine.

Create a rue by adding butter & flour to the pot. (This will make your gravy, soup, or stew thick versus watery). Use a whisk to remove any lumps.

Add beef broth, beef bouillon cube, & thyme leaves. Whisk & let simmer until the gravy becomes thick.

POTATO, CHEDDAR, & SCALLION FAN

1 large yukon gold potato

3 tbsp aged cheddar

2 tbsp chopped scallions

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Wash potato. Do not peel. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato the short way about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart but do not go all the way through to the bottom of the potato. The slices should stay connected at the bottom.

Drizzle with olive oil & bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 mins. Remove from oven, add cheese in between potato layers & broil for 5 mins until cheese is brown.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & chopped scallions before serving.

LEMON, TOASTED ALMONDS & PARMESAN GREEN BEANS

2 cups green beans

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp sliced almonds

2 tbsp grated parmesan

Fill a pot with water & bring to a boil. In another bowl, add cold water & ice cubes. Toss the green beans into the boiling water, drain, & immediately toss into the ice water, then drain again. This is called blanching & stops the cooking process so your beans stay crisp.

Place in sheet tray with sliced almonds & bake for 10 mins.

Squeeze lemon juice & sprinkle grated parmesan right before serving.

PLUM-CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 large plum

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp bourbon

In a pot, add thinly sliced plums & bourbon. Then add water, sugar, & cranberries. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & let cranberries simmer until it forms a thick sauce consistency.

ORANGE-CRANBERRY BASIL COCKTAIL

vodka

cointreau

1 tsp sugar

3 cranberries

3 basil leaves

1 slice orange

Make according to taste. Garnish with orange slice, cranberries, & basil leaves.

APPLE LEAF TART

1 pie crust

1 gala apple

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

Thinly slice apple. Toss with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & allspice. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 mins.

Roll out pie crust. Using a paring knife, cut dough into leaf shape. Arrange apple slices layered over one another outlined by the leaf shape.

Put back into oven for 10 mins, then broil on low heat for 5 mins.

Serve with strawberries & vanilla ice cream.

XO 

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE

SALMON & CRISPY KALE

SALMON & CRISPY KALE

I love easy & simple dinners with minimal ingredients. Baking 2 things at the same time is always time efficient. Salmon is a healthy & delicious option. A little trick to salmon is to undercook it, then cover it with foil to keep it moist. If it overcooks, it becomes dry & tasteless.

Alongside the salmon is my crispy sesame-soy kale. This dish has a hint of asian flare and in under 1 hour cooking time, you can have a healthy & flavour packed dinner. 

INGREDIENTS

2 salmon fillets

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp minced ginger

2 lime wedges

1 cup kale leaves, stems removed

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1/2 olive oil

METHOD

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, & minced ginger.

Pour over salmon fillets in a baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 mins. broil for 3 mins to create a glaze.

Remove stems from kale. In a bowl, toss with soy sauce, olive oil, & sesame seeds. Toss & place in a baking sheet at 200 degrees for 20 mins. Do not overlap.

Tip: I always bake my kale first, set it aside, then turn the heat up for the salmon. 

XO

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE

COCONUT BLACK RICE PUDDING

COCONUT BLACK RICE PUDDING

Black rice has become a staple in my cooking. It has many preventative benefits for cancer, diabetes, heart disease & heart attacks. Black rice is a nutrition powerhouse, packed with antioxidants which makes it even healthier than brown rice. 

I've become a coconut fiend lately. I had some leftover black rice from dinner so decided to make it into something sweet; a creamy, Thai-style, warm coconut rice topped with fresh fruit & shredded coconut. It's dairy-free & gluten-free, making it a delicious dessert or even breakfast. 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cooked black rice

1/4 cup coconut milk (preferably Silk coconut milk)

3 g stevia sugar (2 packets)

1 tbsp fresh shredded coconut

1 tbsp sliced almonds

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

sliced mango

sliced kiwi

METHOD

Slice mango & kiwi into thin slices. Remove the pomegranate seeds from 1/4 pomegranate. 

In a pan, add coconut milk & stevia sugar. Bring to a simmer & add cooked black rice. Mix & gently stir. 

Top black coconut rice with fruits, shredded coconut, & sliced almonds. 

Enjoy for dessert or even as a breakfast. Add any fruit or toppings of your choice. 

Tip: Black rice takes a bit longer to cook than white or brown rice. You can reduce the cooking time by soaking the rice in cold water & in the refrigerator overnight. 

XO

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA

Thanksgiving is a holiday for gluttony; the one day where we eat guilt free and are thankful for every last bite. 

I am extremely thankful this year because Thanksgiving marks 1 year since I launched THE BLANK PLATE & I love that I finally got the opportunity to fuse my passion with my career. 

For those doing the cooking for this holiday, it can get very overwhelming with baking 5 things at once. I always keep it simple on Thanksgiving. You want the turkey to be the star with complimenting sides. My rule of thumb to stick to is to limit your dinner to 1 starter, 2 sides with the turkey & 1 dessert. Don't go crazy with too many dishes! 

This was my Thanksgiving menu using harvest vegetables, sweet cranberries, & a juicy turkey.

APPETIZER

Poached Pear, Goat Cheese, & Cran-Kale Salad 

ENTREE

Stuffed Turkey Roast

White Wine Gravy

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Butternut Squash, Leek, & Bacon Risotto

Roasted Lemon-Parmesan Asparagus

DESSERT

Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS & METHOD

POACHED PEAR, GOAT CHEESE & CRAN-KALE SALAD

2 Bosc pears

2 tbsp goat cheese

2 tbsp walnuts

2 tbsp cranberries

1 tbsp orange juice

1/2 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp brown sugar

kale, spinach, & arugula mix

1. Halve pears down the centre. Scoop out the seeds. In a bowl, combine orange juice, honey, & brown sugar as a glaze. 

2. Fill each pear halve with goat cheese, dried cranberries, & walnut halves. Drizzle glaze over pears & bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 

3. Serve over a bed of kale, spinach, & arugula. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired. 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, LEEK & BACON RISOTTO

3 cups chicken stock (homemade or store bought)

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3 strips bacon

1 chopped leek

1/2 butternut squash

2 tbsp thyme leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1. Peel butternut squash & remove seeds. Cut into 1-inch cubes & place on sheet tray at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Toss halfway.

2. In a pot, add olive oil & arborio rice. Saute for 2 minutes, then add 2 cups chicken stock. Remove thyme leaves & add to pot. Simmer until stock is absorbed, then add remainder chicken stock & white wine. 

3. Add chopped bacon, leeks, & shallots to a pan. Saute until tender. 

4. Add butternut squash, leeks, bacon, shallots, butter, & parmesan cheese. Top with sea salt & black pepper. Mix & serve. 

PECAN PIE

1 frozen pie crust

3 large eggs

2 cups pecans

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp bourbon

1/2 tbsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a pie plate, add pie crust. 

3. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the pecans. Whisk together until smooth. Add pecans, stir gently & add mixture into pie crust. 

4. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until centre is set. Cool & slice. Serve with ice cream. 

XO

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE