Salmon & Leek Quiche

Picard Surgelés is a French chain store, the concept of which finds no equivalent in the US (to my knowledge) : it only sells frozen goods. This may not sound very appealing to the foodiest foodies among you, but their products are surprisingly good and high-quality, much like I remember the frozen section at Trader Joe's, in which I loved to wander till my fingers grew numb. Their selection is pretty wide : from unseasonned veggies, fruits, meat and fish, to sophisticated appetizers, entrees, sides, and ethnic meals, including excellent ice-cream, desserts and breads. You could really live off of their products alone - I know some do! - but we like to stock up on convenient staples, some quick meals for those (rather rare, I have to say) "I-don't-feel-like-cooking" nights and indulge in a few of their goodies. My father will tell you that their macarons alone are worth the trip.

Salmon and leek quiche is one of my favorite quiche recipes, which I come to crave every now and then. So on Friday night, I was very happy to have everything on hand to make one, in which both the salmon and the leek were courtesy of Picard.

Here's how the recipe goes.

Salmon & Leek Quiche

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Wash and cut up about 2 pounds of leeks (using pre-cut frozen saved me the trouble). Heat a little butter or olive oil (tradition or unclogged arteries, take your pick) in a large skillet, add the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender. Drain very thoroughly.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and poach two salmon fillets for about 10 minutes, until just cooked. Drain thoroughly, and flake with a fork.

Line a 25-cm (10-inch) quiche pan with a store-bought or (better, obviously) homemade crust, stretching it a little to have the flaps of dough all around that I like to fold over the filling. In a large bowl, beat together two eggs, 1/4 C of crème fraîche (substitute heavy cream or sour cream), salt and pepper. Add the leeks and salmon, and mix gently with a wooden spoon.

Pour the filling in the pie dish, and fold the flaps of dough over the borders of the filling. With a pastry brush, use what egg moisture is left in the bowl to brush the pie dough. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden. Leave on the counter to settle for a few minutes, and serve with a green salad. This serves 4 as a main dish, 8 as an appetizer.

Salmon and leek are, in my humble opinion, a marriage made in heaven. They both offer wonderfully subtle and sweet tastes, best brought out by a salad dressed with a sharp and tangy vinaigrette.