Kale, Potato and Leek Quiche

Recipe follows story

While most food bloggers are basking in the glory of cooking Thanksgiving dinner and thinking of all of the fun new twists to put on old favorites, I’m catching up and writing about food I’ve made, prepared and shared over the past two weeks (while I watch my mother run around like a mad-woman. I’m not a mean food blogger - I promise, she doesn’t want me to help - and I really do enjoy it when someone wants to cook for me too).

I’ve been a little too busy to bust a blog. 

 Just 2 weeks ago I spent two days preparing food for a very special visitor.
I was lost in a whirlwind of cooking.  

My Aunt Deb was coming to help me paint my apartment.

I finally committed to a color.  After three years of stark white insane asylum walls, I decided to commit.  I made the commitment because, truth be told, although my apartment is tiny - she packs a lot of love and good memories.  She holds a lot of good meals.  Forget about the dudes I’ve cooked for or brought home that I’ve shared my space with.  This garden level palace is all mine, and my landlord moved out and told me I can take on the front garden.

It was time to paint.

Who gives a shit if I can get burglarized, abducted or stalked by a predatory neighbor?
Who gives a shit if the new folks upstairs listen to really terrible electronic and techno music  - and played Landslide on repeat for an hour last week?
Who cares if kids drink 40’s on my stoop in the summer?

I’m going to have a garden.
I’ll be able to plant shit this summer.  
A 3x5 patch of dirt is hard to come by in this city, and I’m not throwing that opportunity away.  I’ll take all of the risks listed above.  I can learn to dance to electronic music.  I can play Rave by myself.  I’m down with Stevie Nicks.  I just purchased a renters insurance policy.

I’m not scared.
I am golden.   

At this rate, I’ll have that washer and dryer by 35.

It was time to paint.

And, my Aunt Deb is somewhat of a domestic diva.  A demi-god of painting, procuring product and selecting colors.  I’m a first class idiot when it comes to that.  I know what I like and I have my own style - and it’s called so mis-matched it’ll all match.  With some of my most prized pieces being finds from the street, antique shops and family heirlooms.  And by heirlooms, I mean my mom and dad’s first end tables when they got married.

Fine, I’m sentimental - and a garbage picker.  

I’ve painted before, but never under the wing of one that actually knows what they’re doing.  My aunt came to Queens and she meant business.  She brought drop cloths, trays, brushes, big rollers, little rollers, step stools, rags, painters tape, and I could go on.   We saddled in for a two day painting expedition.  I learned the art of cutting into walls, how to properly coat a roller, and other painting techniques that will forever be invaluable - as I’m sure I’ll be staying in my box long enough to necessitate a touch up or two. 

I spend a lot of time with my aunt and uncle, at their lovely oasis out on Long Island. When I go to visit them they do nothing short of make me feel like their home is my home.  We spend a lot of time eating, drinking wine, watching films and laughing. They’re just about the coolest and biggest hearted people I know.  A very rare find, if you will.   

And, if you ask me … when someone special comes to visit, there’s nothing worse than a refrigerator that isn’t full.

I wanted my refrigerator to be so full she wouldn’t close.  It’s not often that anyone cooks for my aunt.  It’s rare when she’s not doing something for someone else or giving a piece of herself and her time to others.  She’s this sort of saint that I can’t quite imagine ever being like.  She’s strong, she tells it like it is, and she loves me - even when I’m an idiot.  Even when I’m absurd and quirky and making rotten jokes. She loves me for being myself.  

I couldn’t give her back the time she dedicated to helping me with this project.
I couldn’t give her back everything she has emotionally and physically given to my mom and my family.
I couldn’t give her back all the love and support she’s always given me.   

But I could give her food.
I could give her meals, with memories assigned to each day and night we spent painting together, that she would remember for years to come.

Here’s the food roll:

Kale, Potato and Leek Quiche
Who doesn’t love a slice of quiche for breakfast or lunch?  This one was made with all of the goodies I acquired at the farmers market, so it’s a bit of a delightfully fresh mash up of flavors and veggie love.  

Tomato Bisque
Is Aunt Deb’s favorite soup.  I know she loves soup.  Period.  And when isn’t soup satisfying in the fall?  If you don’t like soup, for shame, and please do not continue to read my blog.  

Pumpkin & Acorn Squash Soup
Because I had a pumpkin to cook and some acorn squash that I also foraged for at the market.  And there can never be too much soup. Never. Options are always good and welcome in my world.  I like a tasting, and so does my aunt.  A smattering of flavors really came through in this kitchen concoction, and I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out for a first try.  

Pasta A La Genovese
A traditional Neopolitan sauce of caramelized onions.  Made with lamb shoulder, veal necks, onions and wine, this is by far one of my favorite childhood meals. My grandma would make it, occasionally, on Sunday’s.  It was special.  My aunt never had it, and I hadn’t ever made it - so I thought this the perfect opportunity to channel grandma, make some sauce and share it with one of my favorite women in this world.  

For now, a quiche recipe - with more to come.

Kale, Potato and Leek Quiche

1 deep dish pie crust
3 medium leeks (greens discarded and whites finely chopped)
1/2 head of kale (stems removed and finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
6-8 baby yukon gold potatoes (cubed into bite sized pieces)
2 T. butter
3 T. olive oil
1/4 water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
1/4 c. ricotta
1/4 c. locatelli
3 oz. fresh mozzarella (cubed)
2 tsp. baking powder 

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a large bowl, beat eggs, ricotta, cheeses, baking powder a little bit of salt and freshly ground pepper - and put aside
-To a deep skillet, set over a medium flame, add butter and leeks - sauteing for 3-4 minutes
-Add garlic and toss
-Add potatoes and saute mixture for an additional 7-8 minutes, constantly tossing 
-Add kale in portions, drizzling with olive oil and tossing in between additions
-Once all kale is added and all olive oil has been used, continue to toss and saute until kale begins to wilt/cook down - about 10-12 minutes
-If mixture looks dry, add in water and continue to toss, until kale is fully cooked
-Toss with salt and pepper and add this vegetable mixture to the egg mixture and combine
-Place pie shell on a baking sheet, then pour filling into pie crust and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until middle of quiche is set

Share with someone you love.   
Share only with someone special.