Charcutepalooza and Food52



I absolutely could not resist.  When Food52 posted this past week's contest requiring a pairing of citrus and olives, and I knew I would be bringing a pancetta and comté cheese quiche to a Superbowl party, I had to enter....Plus, Mrs. Wheelbarrow had, just the week before, announced the new Food52 and Charcutepalooza partnership.  It was fate....

I love orange and olive salads.  I like the color of black olives, although my favorite for taste is the picholine.  Since I live in a very rural area in north Idaho, I was lucky enough to receive a jar of mixed "French" olives for Christmas.  This became the perfect moment to enjoy those olives.  I know that some are picholines and some are niçoise, but other than that, it's a gamble.  At least they still had flavor.  I put several in the salad.  I used both navel and blood oranges because I cannot resist the color.  And, at the moment, we have Maya sweet onions at the local grocery store, so that became my onion of choice.  Actually, they are sweet, but they don't hold a candle to our almost local WallaWallas.

As for the quiche, well, I have been making a number of pancetta dishes for the February Charcutepalooza challenge, and for the Superbowl party I thought a quiche would be a good "finger food."  Since the pancetta has such a different flavor than bacon, and since I had some Comté, I thought that sounded like a rather good combination and, from comments made, people really liked it.  Two challenges, two simple and classic dishes. What could be better?

Orange Suprème and French Olive Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

1 navel orange, suprèmed

1 blood orange, suprèmed

French olives, to tasted, pitted

Thinly sliced sweet onion

Romaine lettuce

Salt and pepper

Suprème both oranges by removing all membranes, skin, and pith.  Many videos are available online.  If you're relatively skillful with a knife, hold the peeled orange in your hand, over a bowl, while cutting out the membranes.  This saves the juice for the salad.

Using the flat blade of a knife, push down on the olives to remove the pits. 

Very thinly slice about a quarter of a sweet onion. 

With your hands, tear enough romaine lettuce for two into your preferred bite sized pieces, add salt and pepper to taste, and mix in the simple sherry dressing.

Top with some navel and blood orange suprème segments, olives, and onion.

Sherry Vinaigrette for Two

1 T. Spanish sherry vinegar

2 T. olive oil

1 T. juice from orange suprèmes

Mix thoroughly.

Pancetta and Comté Quiche

Pie Crust:

1 1/4 c. flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 c. chilled butter (unsalted)

scant 1/4 c. ice water

Combine flour and salt in food processor bowl.  Cut the butter into approximately 12-14 small pieces.  Add to flour.  Pulse on and off until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Drizzle in water until it loosely comes together after several more pulses.  Lie large crumbles on plastic wrap,  Using the wrap over your hands, slowly mold this into a flat round.  Refridgerate for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from fridge and roll, turning, until large enough for quiche pan.  Make sure you have enough to cover the edges.  Cut off excess.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups shredded Comté cheese

4 eggs

1 3/4 c. half-and-half or cream

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of nutmeg

4 slices cooked pancetta, cut into large dice

1 T. butter

Sprinkle 1/4 - 1/3 of the cheese over the bottom of pie shell.  Beat the eggs with half-and-half, salt, and nutmeg.  Fold in the pancetta and cheese.  Pour into quiche crust and dot with butter.  Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes, until middle is slightly puffed and golden brown.  Let cool and serve.