Iyow - in your own words

Can a recipe change the way you feel about a vegetable? This one did. I’ve had a long-standing aversion to broccoli which has been praised as a super food . Fortunately, I can now consume all the health benefits of broccoli since I discovered this delectable dish. It’s great because the prep is fast and the ingredients convenient. I normally have eggs and some type of cheese on-hand in the fridge, as well as broccoli in the freezer. I also love the individual serving size. Serve this for breakfast, lunch or dinner (very French).

I found the original recipe in one of my favorite cooking magazines, Everyday Food (see note *). However, instead of cheddar, I recommend using gruyère. Don’t get me wrong – I love cheddar. But I happened to have some leftover gruyère in the fridge one day, and it took this dish to a whole new level.

Makes four 8-ounce individual servings, or one 9-inch pie serving

Butter, for ramekins

1 Package (10 oz) frozen Broccoli Florets
6 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Half-and-Half
3/4 Cup (3 oz) shredded Gruyère Cheese
1/8 Teaspoon ground Nutmeg
Coarse Salt
Ground Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350° (this should take about 20 minutes). Butter four 8-ounce ramekins or a 9-inch pie dish. Set aside. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add frozen broccoli and cook one minute. Drain well; transfer to a cutting board, and blot dry with paper towels. Chop coarsely.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in broccoli and cheese.

3. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Ladle broccoli mixture into ramekins, dividing evenly. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Sachie’s Cooking Tips and Serving Suggestions:

Since this dish has a limited number of ingredients, it’s important that you use good quality ingredients. Specifically: cheese.

I love cheese. I love it so much that I even bought the shredded cheese in the bag. What a time saver, right? WRONG! Is this stuff even cheese? Please — do yourself a huge favor and buy a good quality cheese. A box grater is fast and easy. You don’t have to use gruyère. Experiment. Have fun. But, if you must use shredded cheese in a bag, I’m sure life will go on. I did grow-up eating Velveeta.

If you don’t own ramekins, but like the idea of single servings, consider using mugs.

To help minimize clean-up, cover your baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or tin foil.

For breakfast, consider serving this with roasted tomatoes and/or bacon. These can both cook in the oven with the quiche.

For lunch or dinner, the quiche is great with a simple salad and baguette.

A note about Everyday Food

Don’t be scared by Martha. This magazine not only has great recipe ideas for new cooks, but the editors also offer helpful cooking tips in each issue. In addition, I love the smaller format (5.5×7.5) – it’s great to throw in my purse if I’m lucky enough to get a seat on the SF Muni’s 38L bus on the way to work (a girl can dream). And, if you can’t get enough, you can even watch the show on PBS. (Allie’s recipes are the bomb!) As I’ve been learning the art of cooking, I have found cooking shows invaluable.