Late Night Crustless Quiche

With the holidays upon us, it’s always good to have a simple breakfast dish on hand to help soak up whatever excess you may have indulged the night before. This recipe is from the kitchen of our family friend, Sue Perret, a glamourous South Louisiana Cajun who loved to entertain. The Perrets had six children, a billiards room, and an indoor pool, which, as you can imagine, was the perfect combination for a party. 

For many years, we would travel to Demopolis, Alabama, to visit the Perrets for Christmas on the River, a magical, hometown holiday festival featuring a boat parade on the Tombigbee River. The weekend was full of activities, with the adults starting the day with Bloody Marys and wrapping it up with Hot Buttered Rum. The party would wind down when Dr. Earl, Sue’s husband, read to the children Cajun Night Before Christmas in an accent so thick that I never really understood what he was saying, but was captivated nonetheless. 

I have many of Sue’s recipes and they are all no-fuss and flavorful, which makes them perfect for busy holidays and busy lives. Dr. Earl loved to fish and was on a semi-pro bass team for years. In the early 1980’s Sue wrote and illustrated a short cookbook of “nothing but bass” recipes, with the star being a dish of bass, butter, canned mushrooms, and white wine that is prepared in the microwave. While the idea of microwaved fish may not appeal to our sophisticated 2021 tastes, in 1981, it was revolutionary. 

I have doubled and even tripled this quiche recipe with great results, and it’s perfectly easy to throw together at, say, 1:00 a.m. and refrigerate overnight. I’ve included my spin on Sue’s original “crustless bacon quiche” recipe below, as well as several variations I’ve tried over the years. 

Late Night Crustless Quiche

4 eggs 
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup biscuit mix
3 TB melted butter (you can also use 3 TB bacon drippings)
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine eggs, milk, biscuit mix, melted butter, and red pepper, stirring until well mixed. Pour into a greased quiche pan or pie plate. Press bacon and cheddar below the surface. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until set in the middle. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before serving. 

Variations on bacon and cheddar: 

• Sautéed spinach and mozzarella 

  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach

  • 1 clove garlic, chopped

  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

Drizzle pan with olive oil and saute garlic along with the baby spinach until wilted. Press spinach below the surface of the egg mixture, along with the mozzarella. 

• Roasted tomatoes and feta 

  • 2 TB olive oil

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • ½ cup feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss tomatoes in olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes burst. Press tomatoes below the surface of the egg mixture, along with the feta cheese. 

• Smoked salmon with ricotta and green onions

  • 6 oz smoked salmon

  • ½ cup ricotta cheese

  • 2 green onions, chopped

Press salmon below the surface of the egg mixture, and dollop the egg mixture with the ricotta cheese. Once cool, top with green onions. 

• Chopped ham and Havarti 

  • 5 slices deli ham

  • 2 oz. Havarti cheese, sliced thinly

 Press ham below the surface of the egg mixture, along with the Havarti cheese.