Consumption of Local Products (Asparagus Quiche)

Why local products are always the best option

Hello, readers, today we are going to talk about the importance of consuming, when possible of course, local products, from our region.

There are a variety of benefits for consumers and for the community.

Fresh food is always more nutritious. The speed with which it gets to our table guarantees not only this freshness, but also reduces the costs of transportation and, consequently, the pollution that would be generated by this long transportation.

Thinking about the environmental impact, the fact that it arrives faster avoids the use of special packaging and also saves money with little or no cooling.

On the social and community side, this consumption supports local farmers and businesses and helps preserve food cultures and practices.

Increased food security: Supporting local food systems can help increase food security within a community by reducing dependence on food produced and transported from distant locations. This can be particularly important in times of natural disasters, economic disruption, or other emergencies.

So value the local offerings at your favorite market, or buy at open markets where you can find the freshest produce, or even find out if there are local producers in your area who sell directly from their farms.

This way we protect the environment, our community, and our health.

Combined with a preference for seasonal products, this formula is always welcome at our table:

Local market+Seasonal products = More health and savings.

The seasonal product I chose was Asparagus.

Health Benefits of Asparagus!

It is a low-calorie vegetable: 100 g mas only 20 calories.

Controls Constipation

Used in treating diseases like irritable bowel syndrome

Helps remove free radicals

Helps prevent pregnancy problems

B complex group: Asparagus is also rich in the B complex group of vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and pantothenic acid those that are essential for cellular enzymatic and metabolic functions.

Source of antioxidants

Source of Vitamin K

Rich in Mineral

Our Recipe today is an ASPARAGUS QUICHE

Did you know that Quiche is a traditional French dish, but its origin is in Germany? Kind of confusing, isn’t it?

Quiche is a type of open pie made with an egg and cream-based filling for the so-called Quiche Lorraine, which had small pieces of smoked bacon. The pastry used is pâté brisée, which takes butter and flour, making it crumbly when ready.

Quiche originated in the 16th century in the Alsace region of Lorraine, which at the time was German territory and is now part of northeastern France. The word “quiche” comes from the German “Küchen” (pie). While under German rule the region of Alsace Lorraine was called “Lothringen”, which in Portuguese means “Lorraine” and in French “Lorraine”. The region was at the stage of several disputes between the Germans and the French, but in 1945, with the end of World War II, France regained control of the territory in definitive, and the French named the Quiche “Quiche Lorraine”.

Soon after World War II Quiche became popular in England and the United States.

Quiche goes well on any occasion and at any time of the day. This traditional recipe is known and appreciated all over the world and one can find a great variety of Quiches, from the original Quiche Lorraine to those with leek, mushrooms, spinach, and even fish, such as salmon and my favorite with asparagus.

Asparagus Quiche

For the dough

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

150 g chilled butter, cut into cubes

4 to 5 tablespoons chilled water

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Mix the flour with the salt in a bowl, add the butter cubes, and knead with your fingertips until you get a fluffy mixture. Add the ice water by tablespoons and mix with your hands until it forms a ball – do not overwork the dough to make it nice and crunchy.

Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly to form a disk, making it easier to open. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (if you wish, you can make the dough the day before).

For the filling and the assembly

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh cream

4 eggs

100 g of grated cheese of your choice, I used Emmental

freshly grated nutmeg to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

flour to sprinkle on the work surface

7 green asparagus cooked in boiling water until soft.

Preparation:

1-Preheat the oven to 200°C (medium temperature) and prepare a 24 cm diameter pan with removable bottom.

2-Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on the floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and roll it out until it forms a circle 6 cm larger than the diameter of the pan.

Roll out the dough on the rolling pin and place it on the tray.

3-Press the dough lightly with your fingertips so that it covers the entire base and sides of the pan. Cut the excess dough with a knife (you can use the leftovers to bake cookies). Put the pan in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes while the oven preheats – the dough is very buttery and therefore prevents the sides from giving way when baking.

4-Cut a circle of waxed paper a little larger than the pan, place it over the dough, and fill the base with raw beans-they act as a weight and prevent the dough from swelling and cracking during baking. Bake for about 25 minutes to pre-bake – the edges will turn golden and the base will lose its raw appearance. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

5-In a small bowl, beat the eggs, add the fresh cream, and beat until smooth.

6-Taste the mixture with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.

7-Remove the pre-baked dough from the oven and lower the temperature to 180 ºC (medium temperature). Carefully remove the parchment paper with the grains.

8-To fill the quiche, arrange the ingredients in the following order: spread the grated cheese over the pastry base, and fill with the cream and the heavy cream.

Put the dish back in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes until the quiche has risen and is nicely golden. Garnish with the cooked asparagus and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve with a leafy salad.

STORAGE & REHEATING

• Storage: Keep Up to 3 days in the refrigerator
• Reheating: Not recommended
• Freezing: Not recommended