Crab and mushroom quiche

                This recipe lends itself to variation. If you have a lot of bits and ends of various kind of cheeses on hand, you can substitute them for the Swiss cheese. Sometimes you can include herbed cream cheese, such as Boursin, in place of part of the cottage cheese.

Makes 8 servings

• ½ recipe lemon pastry (click for recipe)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup small-curd low-fat cottage cheese
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Freshly ground black Pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 drops Tabasco sauce
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• ½ pound lump crabmeat, picked over

1. Partially prebake the pastry in a 9-inch porcelain quiche pan or a 10-inch pie pan.(clik for techniques)
2. Lower the oven temperature to 350F (175C).
3. In a heavy skillet, heat the butter and sauté the mushrooms until they are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, blend the eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, flour, Pepper, nutmeg and Tabasco sauce.
5. Sprinkle half the Swiss cheese into the pastry shell, top with the mushrooms and crabmeat.
6. Spoon the cottage cheese mixture over and top with the remaining Swiss cheese.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
8. The quiche should be puffed and lightly browned.
9. Let it stand for at least 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.
10. Serve hot or at room temperature.

BON APPETIT