FFwD: Gérard’s Mustard Tart (and Buttermilk Pie Crust)

I had high hopes for the mustard quiche in French Fridays with Dorie.  The french love mustard.  I love mustard.  And I love leeks!

Unfortunately, I think there’s a serious step missing in this quiche.  The recipe recommends you steam the leeks and the carrots for about 15 minutes (pre-cut into batons).  I trusted the recipe, and it led me astray.  The leeks were stringy and rough, and the carrots were cooked, but a little too stiff for my taste.  If you want to be able to cut through a root vegetable with a fork, there’s a much more effective way to cook them – braise the veggies!

Susanne Goin has a lovely recipe for braised leeks (and dijon-slathered chicken) that’s simple and delicious.  The most important thing I learned from cooking that particular dish is that braised leeks are the easiest leeks to slice through with a fork.  Isn’t that what you want to be able to do with a quiche?

That said, I thought the flavor of the mustard in this tart was lovely – not too spicey, not too salty (I just salted the top at the end).  But if I make this quiche again (which I might), I will definitely be braising my leeks (and carrots) instead of steaming them.

The other thing I should mention is that I did not use Dorie’s tart dough recipe.  It wasn’t included in the free recipe packet!  Oh well – I’ve been using Joy the Baker‘s pie crust for most quiches/pies recently, and I think it’s about to become my standby pie crust.  You should use it, too.

Buttermilk Pie Crust

grâce à Joy the Baker
8oz cold unsalted butter
12oz flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1/2 C buttermilk

• Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces, put in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Measure out the buttermilk, put in the fridge.
• Sift the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
• Take out the butter, and toss with the flour mixture.
• Dump the butter and flour mixture onto your working area.
• ROLL THE FROZEN BUTTER PIECES WITH A ROLLING PIN until flat!
• Put the flour and flattened butter in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Take the flour/butter mix out, make a well in the center, and add the buttermilk to the caldera.
• Clump the buttermilk/flour mix together with your hands.
• Form into 2 discs on your working surface.
• Put in the fridge for 1 hour!
• Roll out, and use as you please!