The Humble Lunchbox - Mushroom Quiche

Taking lunch to work has a great advantage - first you save money, second you know what is actually in your food and last but not least - you can take your lunch outside on a sunny day like this and have a mini picnic. Quiches are a great standby as they can be eaten warm or cold. Paired with a leafy salad - perfect lunch is served. Another advantage is that measurements can be taken easy. Whatever you like in your quiche - use it. The only thing I don't like is an 'eggy' taste to my quiche. So I am using cream and 1 egg - which so far has always set my quiches - if unsure add another egg.

I have made mushroom quiche for today's lunch and it is looking gorgeous. Fresh herbs and a dollop of basil pesto make it light and summery. Cut into wedges, it can cover about 3 days of lunch - or simply bake individual portions in smaller tins.

You will need:

• Shortcrust pastry (shop bought or homemade - enough to cover the bottom and sides of your quiche pan
• butter and/or olive oil
• 250g mushrooms (more if your tin is a biggen one)
• 1 onion - chopped
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• handful of parsley, chives & basil (all chopped small)
• 2 tsp Basil pesto (or more if you like the taste)
• Goats Cheese - crumbed
• Cream (enough to cover the mushroom mixture)



Individual Mushroom Quiches

• 1 egg (more if you have a big tin)

Heat the olive oil and/or butter (I love the oil-butter combo) and add the chopped onions and garlic and pan-fry until translucent. Add the chopped mushrooms and fry until slightly browned and the liquid has evaporated. Take off the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Combine enough cream to cover the quiche with the chopped herbs and the pesto. Season with salt and pepper and add the egg. Whisk until the egg is combined with the cream.

On a slightly floured surface roll out the pastry and line your quiche tin. Spread the mushroom mixture across the base and crumble the goats cheese evenly over the mushrooms. Pour over the cream mixture and bake until the cream has set. Leave to cool before cutting into wedges and serve at room temperature with a side salad.

Bon Appetit