By Week 456. Year 9. Tommy is 42. Holiday season. The cottage or the memory of the cottage. The family gathering or planning to gather. Luc (18) at LSU studying engineering. Colette (16) in high school, painting. The food is the constant — the roux and the rice and the cayenne that doesn't change even when everything else does.
Made smothered chicken this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Always enough.
Smothered chicken fills the house and holds everyone in place — that’s what the best food does. On the nights when Luc calls from Baton Rouge and Colette is finishing a painting in her room, I want something in the oven that says the same thing without words. This zucchini bacon quiche does exactly that: the bacon brings the smokiness, the eggs bring the substance, and the whole thing comes out of the oven smelling like a home that’s been lived in and loved well. It’s not Louisiana, but it’s the same intention — the stove is on, and you’re welcome here.
Zucchini Bacon Quiche
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
- 6 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Press the unbaked pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edges, and set aside on a baking sheet.
- Cook the bacon. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon strips until crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, let cool, then crumble into small pieces. Drain all but 1 tsp of the bacon fat from the skillet.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the olive oil to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the zucchini slices, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until just tender and lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half until smooth. Stir in the salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg.
- Assemble the quiche. Scatter half the cheese evenly across the bottom of the pie crust. Layer the zucchini and onion mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Pour the egg custard slowly and evenly over the filling. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake. Bake on the center rack for 40–45 minutes, until the custard is set in the center and the top is lightly golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them loosely with foil after 20 minutes.
- Rest and serve. Let the quiche rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 20g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg