CHICAGO NORTH SHORE LOX & BAGELS QUICHE

CHICAGO NORTH SHORE LOX & BAGELS QUICHE

Let’s face it, there are a few favorite things that seem to be commonly enjoyed by my fellow North Shore Chicagoans.  Good Deli is definitely one of them.  In times of good fortune, as well as when comfort food is desperately needed, some turn to ice cream, others turn to a healthy dose of Pastrami, Corned Beef, Chopped Liver, or you guessed it, Bagels, Lox, & Shmeer.

Now, some of you may be reading this with the raised eyebrow thinking I’ve just rattled off something in Greek, or perhaps something else foreign, like Hebrew or Yiddish.  I throw the latter two in there because, well, let’s face it.  There’s an awful lot of Jews on the North Shore and Northern Suburbs of the Chicagoland area.  And we can thank them for a pretty awesome culinary addition – Bagels, Lox, & Shemeer.  For those not exactly familiar with this dish, you take a toasted bagel, spread (or shmeer) a ridiculous amount of regular or chive cream cheese, and top with thinly sliced smoked salmon (or Lox).  You can then enjoy this as a sandwich or open-faced, and garnish it with slices of red onion, capers, tomatoes, etc. 

I will grant that this isn’t “exclusively” a Chicago-born food, but it’s definitely enjoyed here, as well as other Jewish enclaves like New York, Philadelphia, etc.  So much so that it’s considered THE go-to item for catered brunches, social functions, Bar/Bat Mitzvah Kiddush luncheons, etc.  It’s fast, easy, and delicious.  If you haven’t tried it in the “usual” form described above, definitely do! 

So, what’s this mishegas from the boychik baleboste with the pies?  Well, sometimes, favorites like these lend themselves to a little unorthodox thinking and experimentation.  The results of this kind of experiment are a pretty awesome quiche!  Seriously.  You’ll plotz.  And that’s not just me kibitzing.

CHICAGO NORTH SHORE LOX & BAGELS QUICHE:

BAGEL CRUST:

·         1 ½  - 8 Oz. Bags of New York Style Bagel Chips, Garlic or Sesame Seed Flavored

·         4 Tbs. Parmesan Cheese, Finely Grated

·         1 tsp. Garlic Salt

·         1 ½ Cups Milk (2% or Whole Suggested)

·         12 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Cut in 1-inch pieces

·         8 Tbs. Sugar

·         ¼ tsp Salt

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease up a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

In a food processor, puree bagel chips until very fine, resembling coarse bread crumbs.  Add Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Blend in food processor for 15 seconds.  Transfer to large mixing bowl.

Stir sugar & salt into crumbs.  In a sauce pan, bring milk and butter to simmer until butter has melted.  Remove from heat and pour butter-milk mixture over crumbs, and mix until all crumbs have been moistened.  The mixture will be sticky.  Allow to sit for 10 – 15 minutes.

Collect crumb mixture into a ball shape and place it in center of your tart pan.  With your fingertips, press your dough up the sides, forming a shell for your filling. The “walls” of your shell should be about ½ inch thick.

LOX & SHMEER QUICHE FILLING:

·         3      3oz. Packages of Nova Lox (Smoked Salmon), Sliced

·         1 Cup Red Onion, Chopped

·         1 5 Oz. Bag of Shredded Swiss Cheese

·         1 3 Oz. Bottle of Capers

·         3 Tbs. Parmesan Cheese

·         4 Eggs, Slightly Beaten

·         4 Oz. Cream Cheese (Cream Cheese With Chives Acceptable)

·         1 tsp. Chopped Chives

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat together your eggs, Parmesan, Swiss, and Cream Cheeses, and chopped chives.  Add your sliced Lox, onion, and capers.  Mix well and pour into your tart shell.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until quiche top begins to turn a golden brown.