Smoked Salmon and Watercress Quiche

Smoked Salmon and Watercress Quiche

This time last week I was watching Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers and he cooked this recipe.  The next day I was in the supermarket and they happened to have cooked smoked salmon fillets reduced.  So I grabbed them. 

With a glut of eggs from our slow starting chickens, I've been searching out recipes to use them up and this seemed better than fate!

Nigel Slater's recipe can be found here.

So I set out to make this recipe, knowing I had everything I needed. Or so I thought...

When I went to grab the flour, I found I had 3 bags of self raising and no plain.  It was too late to do anything about it so I decided to use the self raising and see what happened.

Before blind baking the pastry case I pricked it all over with a fork to stop it rising.   I also didn't have proper baking beans so I used a bag of flageolet  beans that I found in the back of the cupboard which were best before 2007!!! There was obviously a subconscious reason behind keeping them for that long.  I still won't chuck them away, I'll put them in a jar and keep them for next time I need baking beans.  I'll make sure I'll label them though because I think they'll be like bullets in a casserole.

To my surprise the case turned out really well, so I filled it with the rest of the ingredients and baked in the oven until set.  The smell of smoked salmon cooking is absolute heaven.

Serve it warm, with a handful of watercress.  My 10 year old son suggests a dollop of creme fraiche would complement it nicely and I happen to think he might be right.  Glad to see he has his mum's passion for food too!