Test 2 - Ham Quiche with Hollandaise Sauce and Boiled New Potatoes

1 - A simple and quick way of using up cooked ham.

2 - My chives have gone dormant for the winter so I didn't use any, and I was too lazy to get parsley from the storeroom but this was received and eaten with great enthusiasm. I boiled potatoes to eat with the sauce, which was a very nice match.

3 - Dang it, I substituted lime for the lemon and the hollandaise tasted extra tangy. This surprised me. But I've never used lime so I don't know if it's my substitution or something else. This almost graduated to Test 3 but now I have to leave it as it is. The pie itself was very good.

1 recipe for pie crust, completely cooled
a small handful of chives, chopped
3 oz cooked ham, sliced and cut into small squares, about 1/4"
3 large eggs
1 cup coffee cream OR ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk
A small pinch of salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
For the Hollandaise
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
A pinch of Cayenne pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
Finely minced parsley

1. Prepare the blind-baked pie crust. Allow it to cool completely before using to allow the crust to set.
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Spread chives and ham evenly over the bottom of the pie crust.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, dairy and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Smother the chives and ham in the pie shell with the egg mixture.
6. Bake the quiche until it's all puffed and golden brown and joyful, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest before serving.
7. The Hollandaise is super quick to make, so while the quiche rests, make the sauce.
8. Whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, and cayenne.
9. Melt the butter.
10. Very slowly at first because the butter is so hot, whisk the egg mixture vigorously with one hand while, very slowly and in a very thin stream, trickle in the butter. Gradually increase the volume of the stream as the yolk heats up. The sauce should thicken quickly and coat the back of a spoon.
11. Serve over the warm quiche. Top with finely chopped parsley. Goes very will with boiled new potatoes or baby potatoes.
12. To keep the quiche warm, cover it with aluminum foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200-250F.