Vegetable Quiche

This fresh vegetable "quiche" is made with a light, crispy potato crust and a filling of vegetables and herbs and spices. It makes a wonderful morning brunch or lunch or a simple supper when served with a salad and a small, toasted baguette. If you should not be eating egg yolks, you can make it using only the egg whites.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup purified water

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 pound asparagus (about 2 cups chopped) or broccoli florets

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 carrot, cut in small cubes (about 1 cup)

5 mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/8 teaspoon chili flakes

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 small red potatoes, washed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated cheese, Pepper Jack or Swiss

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

6 eggs

1 medium tomato, sliced (seeds squeezed out)

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.

2. Boil the water, pour over the sun-dried tomatoes, and allow to soak for about 15 minutes until they become soft and plump. Strain off any remaining liquid, and coarsely chop.

3. Cut off about 1 inch of the coarse ends of the asparagus stalks and discard or save them for soup. Cut the remaining stalks into about 6 pieces or chop coarsely. (If you are using broccoli, cut into florets.)

4. Blanch the asparagus by boiling it in a medium pot of water for 2 minutes or less. Asparagus should be bright green and firm to the bite. Drain, rinse the asparagus in cold water, and drain again in a colander.

5. Saut the onions and the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until the onions are transparent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, basil, parsley, chili flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat.

6. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Line the bottom with the potato slices, overlapping them slightly.

7. Whisk together the cheese, milk, sun-dried tomatoes, sour cream and the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the saut ed vegetables and the blanched asparagus, coating everything with the cheese, milk and egg liquid, then pour into the potato-lined pie pan. Arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

7. Bake for 1 hour, covering after 45 minutes if top browns. Completely baked quiche should be very firm.

8. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Leftovers can be wrapped and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.