Foods that are wrapped in bacon are hard to resist and simply mouth mumbling. I made this bacon-based meal in my recent cooking class as a part of a lunch menu. And I must say that this elegant bacon minis taste heavenly prepared with fresh red potatoes, and healthy herbs.
Swiss cheese is the added premium ingredients to make the recipe more special. You can also make the quiches in advanced by partially baking them and then refrigerate them; baking again to completely cook them. I just love to see the bacon shining through its complex flavors in the serving plate.
Ingredients
- 16 slices thick cut bacon, about 1 pound
- ½ pound red potatoes, washed and cut in half
- 2 medium leeks (1 pound), cleaned and sliced (mostly white and a bit of the light green parts)
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup swiss cheese, shredded
- 3 T chopped fresh herbs (dill or chives)
- 1 t salt
- ¼ t crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
- 1Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lay bacon on a sheet pan and bake for about 7 minutes, until about halfway done. Remove from the pan and drain on a plate covered with paper towels. Retain 1 T bacon fat for sauteing the leeks. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
- 2While bacon is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes, return to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cook potatoes until al dente, about 15 minutes. Potatoes are done when they can be pierced with a fork. Drain and cool. When cool enough to touch, slip off the peels with your fingers and dice into ⅓" squares.
- 3Heat a skillet and add 1 T bacon fat. When fat is hot add leeks, reduce to medium and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- 4Crack eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk briefly to break the yolks and combine. Add milk and cream and whisk to incorporate. Add potatoes, leeks, swiss cheese, herbs, salt and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
- 5Use a little of the leftover bacon fat to lightly grease a nonstick muffin tin. Place a strip of bacon on the inside of each muffin cup so that it forms a ring around the inside of the muffin cup. Put ¼ cup of the quiche mixture in each muffin tin. Most of the mixture should be inside the bacon ring, but don't worry if some of it is outside the bacon ring. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the quiche comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before removing the quiches from the pan.
