You had me at mushrooms, basil, shallots, and thyme. Seriously. I can't say enough about this combination. You can stuff these ingredients in anything--calzones, epanadas, quiche, or throw them on top of pizza. I sauteed the shallots and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, added the basil and thyme, made a quick pie crust, cracked some eggs, added some cream and cheese, and this quiche was ready to bake.
I used Pioneer Woman's pie crust, which she got from a reader. Instead of using Crisco, I used pork lard because I had some in my fridge. Marcus made it from boiling bacon. Don't ask. I think he was planning on using it for biscuits.
Things I learned about lard? It's not a good one-for-one substitute for Crisco, which was included in the recipe. My pie shell was a little flavorless and it smelled like bacon. Next time, I'll follow the recipe EXACTLY. The thing is, I'll have to find a pie crust recipe with butter because I don't really care for Crisco. It freaks me out.
I pre-baked the pie crust for fifteen minutes at 400 degrees. Say hello to my baking beans; they're hard workers. They keep the crust from puffing up.
Meanwhile I sauteed the mushrooms (Two packages, your choice. I used shiitakes and baby portabellas.) and shallots (3 chopped) until soft and lightly browned. I added a generous handful of chopped basil and three teaspoons of thyme. I also added a few springs of rosemary.
Take the crust out of the oven. Pour in the mushrooms (reserving about a 1/4). Add four whisked eggs, one cup of cheese, and 1/2 cup cream. Then add the rest of the mushrooms on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until the quiche sets and is golden brown.
