Directons
Frenching Onions
Frenching French or chopped onions, sliced thinly refers to slices of onion. I learned this method my friend Susan, who has participated in several recipes on this site. There can be more precise term for this method, but none of us know (if you do, please contact us).
1 First, cut off the root end of the onion, so that cut the roots are cut, but the hard core stays intact.
2 Make a deeper cut on the other end of the onion. Remove the papery skin.
3 Standing onion, root, onion cut in half. Then take each half and slice thinly. Cut the onion in a manner that maintains the segments connected to the root tip of onion, as shown in the picture.
Pre-Baking the Crust
1 On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-by-1 1/2-inch round tart pan, pressing dough into corners. Transfer to freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. parchment paper, wax paper or aluminum foil, pressing the edges and corners. Fill in at least two-thirds with baking weights - dried beans, rice, or the weight of aluminum circular. first for 15 minutes in the oven, remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Carefully remove parchment paper and weight. Poke the bottom of the pie plate with the tines of a fork and return to oven and bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (Fork holes are for air leakage.) Transfer to cooling rack while making filling.
Caramelizing the Onions and Preparing the Quiche
The onions will take about an hour to cook in the oven before they are ready to go to the quiche. So time-wise, if you make the quiche from scratch, it makes sense to start with the onion when you put the crust in the freezer to cool before before cooking.
1 Heat oil in large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle some salt on them. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until onions are softened and transparent. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 minutes until the onions are completely caramelized. Remove from heat.
2 Place the cake on a tray to collect runoff could be. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over bottom of crust. Spread the onions over the cheese and top with remaining cheese. In a medium bowl, combine milk, cream and eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour over cheese. Transfer to oven and bake until it is positioned in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Serves 6-8.
