i have a shocking confession for you, my dear internet readers. i hate broccoli. detest it, really. ok, maybe that’s not so shocking. but i love vegetables, and broccoli is one of only two vegetables i dislike.
quick aside: i bet you’re wondering what’s the other vegetable i find horrendous. it’s brussel sprouts. i know there are probably a lot of recipes for great brussel sprouts out there, though – so would you please pass the recipe my way if you have one you love?
ok, back to my original point. i hate broccoli. in the past few months, though, i’ve found not one but two recipes that star broccoli. and i actually kind of love these dishes. so even though we’re on the tail end of actual broccoli season (i had to do some research about the season – it seems ubiquitous year-round in the stores), i’m going to post this recipe for broccoli quiche, and another one for broccoli pizza next week.
so what is this recipe? it’s a vegan quiche, made from blended tofu and cashews, plus some flavorful broccoli and yummy tomatoes. i found it in vegan brunch, by isa chandra moskowitz. (you might recognize the author from the other staple vegan cookbooks veganomicon, vegan cupcakes take over the world, and vegan cookies invade your cookie jar).
now, before you go writing off this recipe because it’s vegan, i have to tell you that i made this dinner solo one night (a rare occurrence), and mike had no idea that there weren’t any eggs involved. i think he even asked me how many eggs were left for breakfast the next day. so trust me, you’re not going to miss the eggs or dairy, because the texture and flavors are just that great.
while i’m not a vegan by any stretch – i love cheese as much as any other scandinavian, and nothing beats a poached egg on a lazy saturday morning – i love cooking out of vegan cookbooks because they’re so creative! instead of sticking with normal tried-and-true-favorites, they tend to explore new grains and legumes, pair them with interesting spice combinations, and push the boundaries of my culinary knowledge. most vegan cookbooks deviate from the standard veg fair of eggplant parmesan and pasta primavera, too (not that those are bad options, but one cannot live on pasta alone).
so i challenge you to try this quiche, even if you don’t particularly enjoy tofu or eating vegan food. i mean, i tried it, and i don’t even like broccoli!
one year ago (apparently may is quiche month): spinach quiche
broccoli quiche
yields 6 servings
borrowed from vegan brunch, by isa chandra moskowitz
- 1/2c cashews
- 1lb tofu
- 1T mustard
- 1 x 9″ pie crust – either homemade or purchased (i used this recipe, halved it, and substituted whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose)
- 2T olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3c broccoli, finely chopped
- 1t dried thyme
- 1/2t turmeric
- 1/2t tarragon
- 1t salt
- 1/2t pepper
- 1 dozen (approx) cherry tomatoes, halved
______________________________
- preheat the oven to 350° F
- while the oven is heating up, put the cashews into a food processor and pulse until you have crumbs
- add the tofu and mustard to the food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy
- at this point, your oven should be warm, so prick the pie crust a few times with a fork and put it into the oven for 10 mintes, then remove from the oven and fill as indicated below
- meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat
- add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes, until tender and translucent
- add the broccoli, thyme, turmeric, tarragon, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, until broccoli is soft
- add 1c of the broccoli mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine
- place the food processor mixture into a large bowl and combine with the broccoli mixture in the pan, stirring to combine well
- scoop the mixture into the pie crust, and smooth the top with a spatula
- place the halved cherry tomatoes on top of the quiche and place into the oven
- back for 40 minutes, until the crust is browning and the middle is piping hot
- enjoy with a salad or on its own!