Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cheddar Quiche
This quiche was especially loved by my morning customers who wanted a meaty breakfast but who don’t eat beef or pork. I always want to consider the good cooks (and those who appreciate a good quiche) whose religious or dietary beliefs preclude various red meats.
Kale can be tricky because of its bitter potential, but I love its inherent dark, leafy body that marries happily with a good, sharp cheddar cheese and mellow chicken sausage links. Look for precooked thick, gourmet chicken sausages to give you the best flavor results. I incorporated my mother’s trick of using just a bit of apple cider vinegar to tame the kale’s aggressive flavor tendencies.
This quiche satisfies the need for a healthy meaty protein in the morning – especially for those out and about at a chilly farmers market! I sold these Chicken Sausage, Kale and Cheddar quiches by the slice and whole.
Special note: I processed my Kale with a food processor to get very small pieces for this quiche, then steamed the Kale bits so the Kale was much like you would find chopped spinach on the grocer's aisle.
Deliciously satisfies the need for a healthy meaty protein in the morning.
- 1 Deep Pie Shell (Blind Baked)
- 1 oz Asiago Cheese (or Parmesan, Shredded)
- 4 oz Link Chicken Sausage ((precooked, about 2 links, cut into small pieces))
- 6 oz Kale (Chopped and steamed)
- 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Onion (minced)
- 5 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 Large Eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1/2 cup Half & Half (4 oz.)
- 1 cup Whole Milk (8 oz.)
Preheat oven to 375° F
Scatter Asiago cheese on the bottom of the prepared crust, then top with chicken sausage pieces. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine kale, vinegar and minced onion. Stir well.
In a separate small bowl combine the cheddar cheese, flour, sugar, black pepper and salt.
Pour the cheese mixture into the kale and mix well.
Add the beaten eggs to the kale and stir to evenly distribute.
Be careful to stir well enough that the egg is difficult to distinguish in the mixture. A pet peeve of mine is seeing cooked egg white or yolk in a dish that is supposed to be thoroughly mixed! Adding the egg to a quiche before the milk makes this easier to accomplishStir in the Half & Half and milk. Pour into the prepared crust, being careful not to disturb the chicken sausage bits at the bottom.
Immediately place quiche on the bottom rack of the preheated oven. Bake at 375° F for 15 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 350° F and bake for another 45 to 55 minutes, or until quiche edges have become puffy and the center barely jiggles.
Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, this quiche may be covered and refrigerated for several days.