Or friend Trish inspired me to make this quiche that brings together salmon and capers. I have added oven roasted, thinly sliced fennel and leek. Even though people expect fennel to have a strong aniseed flavour, when baked, the flavour is more subtle and sweet, as is the leek and complements the smoked salmon well.

Smoked Salmon, Fennel and Leek Quiche

Ingredients:

Shortcrust Pastry:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 42g butter
• 6 Tblsp chilled water

Quiche Filling:

• 100g smoked sliced salmon, torn into pieces
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 180mls cream
• 100g cheese, thickly grated
• Olive oil
• 1/4 large fennel, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, halved, washed and sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon capers in vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• parsley leaves

Method:

Making the Pastry:

1. Using a food processor with the  chopping blade, add flour and salt and securing the cover, process for 5 seconds. (equivalent to sifting)
2. Add butter and process until combined, about 15 seconds
3. Add the chilled water  a little at a time through the feed tube and process until the pastry forms a ball.
4. Remove and cover the pastry ball in cling wrap and rest it for half and hour in the fridge

Lining the Quiche pan with pastry:

1. Use a non stick quiche pan with a removable base
2. On a floured board, roll out the pastry into a circle large enough for the quiche pan
3. Press the pastry into the pan, pushing gently into the edges to remove any air bubbles
4. Trim off the excess by rubbing off at the edge of the pan
5. Prick over the pastry with a fork, going over the whole quiche making sure not to pierce the pastry the whole way through

Preparing the Fennel and Leek:

1. Preheat oven to 200º C F
2. Prepare the leek by slicing in half lengthwise and washing well between the layers to remove any soil
3. Slice the leek into 1 cm slices across the leek
4. Slice the fennel thinly
5. Place the fennel and leek slices in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, mixing the oil through the slices
6. Drizzle olive oil over the base of an oven tray and scatter the slices of fennel and leek over the tray
7. Season with freshly ground black pepper
8. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until the fennel and leek is soft
9. Leave the oven on 200ºC while you continue to assemble the quiche
10. Place a heavy oven tray in the oven at this point (by putting the quiche on to a hot tray helps to bake the pastry base and stop it from becoming soggy)

Assembling the Quiche:

1. Oven will still be at  200ºC from baking the fennel and leeks
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork and season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper
3. Pour cream into the lightly beaten egg and combine well
4. Scatter the cheese over the prepared pastry lined quiche pan

   

5. Scatter the oven baked fennel and leek evenly over the cheese

   

6. Using a large spoon, carefully distribute the egg and cream mixture over the whole quiche, adding a little extra cream if needed
7. Scatter the capers and parsley leaves over the quiche, pressing them gently into the cream
8. Carefully place the quiche onto the baking tray in the preheated oven
9. Bake for 12 minutes at 200ºC and then lower the heat to 170ºC F for 20 minutes
10. Check if the quiche is browning too quickly (this will depend on your individual oven) and cover loosely with a piece of foil if needed
11. Bake for a further 25 minutes, checking  the quiche from time to time. and covering it when needed
12. The quiche will be finished when a skewer inserted into it comes out cleanly
13. When fully cooked, remove the quiche from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the quiche pan
14. Serve the quiche warm with a squeeze of lemon juice, some marinaded artichoke hearts and a mixed green salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.