Mustard green and bullernul squash quiche with toasted hazelnut vinaigrelle.

(Serves 4)

For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
1 cup whole hazelnuts, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon aged sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For the quiche:
4 5-inch circles puff pastry
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed oil
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 bunch mustard greens, blanched
Nutmeg to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
To serve:
1/2 cup baby watercress
1/2 cup baby arugula1 cup baby mustard greens
For the garnish:
Thinly sliced, fried shallots

For the vinalgrette. In saute pan, heat hazelnut oil over medium heat, add hazelnuts and cook until golden brown. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar and reduce by half. Whisk in sherry vinegar, lemon zest, ground mustard seeds and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

For the quiche: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly press puff pastry into four-inch tart shells and fill with dried beans to weigh down. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream and oil. In separate bowl, slowly whisk egg mixture into flour. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. In small pot of boiling salted water, cook squash until tender. Transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Mix 1/4 cup of puree with ricotta and spread evenly over bottoms of tart shells. Sprinkle with half of Parmesan and half of Gruyere cheeses. Top with mustard greens Pour egg mixture over greens and cover with remaining cheeses. Bake at 450 degrees until eggs have set and top is brown, about 20 minutes.

To serve: In bowl, combine watercress, arugula and mustard greens and drizzle with vinaigrette to taste. Place on plate with quiche, garnish with shallots and additional vinalgrette and serve.

Chardonnay

Mount Eden Estate

Santa Cruz, California 1996