Recently here at Married with Cauldron we have acquired an allotment with the help of our good friend Barry. Both Barry and his wife Bernie have been so helpful with everything for us in getting started as self sufficient gardeners. After all, they have perfected their craft over the last four years. Life down the allotment really is bliss. The kids are getting hands on experience of where their food comes from, a lesson which money can’t buy. We are planning on getting two pigs and some chickens too. Bacon and eggs anyone? Everyone we have met here have been very welcoming and generous. Just the other day Bernie gave us some of the nicest chillies from their poly tunnel. With which I made some very delicious chilli jam, unreal with cheddar cheese and crackers.
On Sunday we met a lovely couple, Kevin and Susan, from the plot opposite. And Kevin literally pulled three leeks out of the ground and handed them to me. Susan gave me some onions also. Thank you guys. So below is a quiche Davinia made to honour some the freshest ingredients we have used.

The Ingredients :

Shortcrust pastry
8oz plain flour
Pinch salt
4oz unsalted butter
3-4 tbsp cold water

Filling
3 leeks
2 onions
100g unsalted butter
Tsp salt
Tsp black peppercorn
4 large organic eggs

The Make :

For pastry you can either mix by hand or use a food mixer. Add flour, salt and butter to mixer. Mix until breadcrumb consistency. Add three to four tbsp of cold water to the mixture. Pat pastry into a ball. Wrap in cling film and leave to cool in fridge for 30 minutes.

Chop leeks and leave approx eight sliced leeks aside for decorative topping. Chop onions. Add both leeks and onions to saucepan and sauté with butter, salt and black pepper. This should take approx 20mins, put lid on and stir occasionally.
In a separate frying pan add 8 leek discs with 20g butter and sauté on both sides, gently turning over each side, should only take 5-10 mins approx on low heat.

Roll out pastry into 20cm baking tray. Line with baking parchment and add ceramic baking beans. Place in oven at 180 degrees fan oven for 15 mins. Remove baking parchment and ceramic beads. Egg wash and gently fork base of pastry. Place back in the oven for 10 mins approx. Then add leek and onion mixture and spread evenly across base of pastry. Whisk 4 large eggs and pour evenly across leek and onion mixture. Add 8 leek discs on top of quiche for decoration. Place quiche back in the oven for approx 20 mins.

Enjoy.