The vegetables are roasted first thus  enhancing their sweetness.  Even garlic becomes sweet when roasted, which is why they can be left whole.  The seasoning blend is extra spicy, so adjust accordingly.  Just don’t be too timid.  And don’t waste your time with green herbs. You want earthy robust spices and lots of ‘em.  This is the difference between a good chili and a tomato sauce with beans in it.

My son has a market stall at the Creemore Farmers’ Market where he sells savoury baked goods. He makes an asparagus, pea and mint quiche that is delicious. Going by Jackie’s asparagus comparison, surely fiddleheads would work equally well? I set to making a tester quiche. If the fiddleheads were mild then they would need a bit of a kick to give flavour, so I decided to get some old cheddar to add into the filling. To guard against sogginess, I didn’t cook the fiddleheads at all, just rinsed and thoroughly dried them. I am happy to report the quiche was a complete success! Based on the theory of “time before total disappearance” that exists in my house, it scored a 10 (minutes).

Although of course fiddleheads are now sadly over for the season, I thought it worthwhile to give you the quiche recipe. It’s simple and can be adapted to any filling that works in a creamy egg base. Just make the egg and cream filling, pour into the base and add your choice of additions. Some asparagus, pea and mint, some chopped cooked bacon, cooked sliced mushrooms, any greens (wild leeks, nettles, green garlic) and cheese (about 50g to 75g of cheese per quiche if adding with another ingredient, slightly more if on it’s own. Blue cheese or goat’s cheese are a good choices.

If you are gluten intolerant, I suggest you forgo the pastry. Grease your pie plate – or even better use a silicon one. Make the filling up as below, bake for 20 minutes at 350 F, and enjoy a kind of set omelette!