Description
Ina Garten’s crab quiche blends delicate seafood with rich, creamy custard in a flaky pastry shell. Coastal flavors shine through with each elegant bite you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) fresh white crabmeat, drained
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 4 oz (113 grams) gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 (9-inch) pie shell, par-baked and pricked with a fork
- 2 scallions, minced
- ½ tsp grated lemon zest
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- ½ tsp seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground mace
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack positioned centrally for uniform heat distribution.
- Cheese Foundation: Create a protective base by generously spreading shredded cheese across the entire pie crust, preventing moisture absorption and enhancing flavor complexity.
- Protein Layer: Meticulously distribute fresh crab meat in an even, consistent layer over the cheese foundation, ensuring balanced seafood coverage.
- Aromatic Enhancement: Sprinkle finely chopped scallions across the crab meat to infuse delicate onion undertones throughout the quiche.
- Custard Fusion: Combine eggs, heavy cream, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, seafood seasoning, kosher salt, ground mace, and mace powder in a mixing bowl, whisking until the mixture achieves a smooth, homogeneous consistency.
- Assembly and Baking: Pour the custard mixture gently over the crab and scallion layers, ensuring complete coverage without disrupting the underlying ingredients. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the center sets and the surface transforms into a golden-brown hue with a subtle jiggle when softly shaken.
- Cooling and Resting: Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for 40 minutes, enabling the filling to stabilize. Subsequently, let it rest an additional 15 minutes before slicing to guarantee pristine cuts and optimal textural integrity.
Notes
- Cheese Base Protection: Spread cheese evenly to create a moisture barrier preventing soggy crust bottoms.
- Crab Meat Distribution: Arrange crab meat uniformly for consistent flavor and texture in every slice.
- Egg Mixture Technique: Whisk ingredients thoroughly to ensure smooth, well-blended filling without lumps.
- Cooling and Resting: Allow quiche to cool completely before slicing to achieve perfect, clean cuts and optimal texture stability.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 455
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg