The Extra Step Julia Child Took With Her Bacon When Cooking Quiche Lorraine

Julia Child, renowned for her culinary expertise, brought a distinctive approach to preparing Quiche Lorraine, particularly with her treatment of bacon. Known for her emphasis on flavor and technique, Child implemented an extra step that elevated the dish's taste and texture. She believed in blanching the bacon before incorporating it into the quiche. This process involved briefly boiling the bacon in water, which served to remove excess salt and some of the smoky intensity that could otherwise overpower the delicate flavors of the quiche filling. After blanching, the bacon was then sautéed to achieve a crisp texture and deeper flavor. This method allowed the bacon to complement rather than dominate the custard base of the quiche, resulting in a balanced and harmonious dish. By taking this additional step, Julia Child ensured that each ingredient contributed to the overall complexity and richness of the Quiche Lorraine, showcasing her attention to detail and dedication to refining classic recipes. Her approach not only highlighted her culinary prowess but also provided home cooks with a valuable technique to enhance their own versions of this traditional French dish.
Advertisement

How simmering your bacon in water benefits your quiche

You might be curious about how placing your chopped bacon into simmering water contributes to a superior quiche Lorraine. After all, no one desires bacon that’s soggy. However, this pre-cooking method helps to render some of the fat from the pork, preventing it from becoming tough and brittle during cooking. It also helps to avoid an overly greasy texture, which could impact the creamy consistency of the quiche filling. While simmering the bacon will diminish some of its smokiness and saltiness, rest assured — Julia Child's quiche Lorraine remains a delightfully porky dish.

Fortunately, employing her effective technique is quite simple. When making your quiche, just add the chopped bacon to a pot of simmering (not boiling) water for about 10 minutes. Afterward, you can remove the lardons and pan-fry them. However, be sure to pat them dry with a paper towel first; otherwise, they won’t crisp up properly. It’s also important to pat the bacon dry again after achieving a nice browning and crispness to avoid overpowering the delicate savory custard filling.

While this may seem like a lot of effort for just one element of quiche Lorraine, bacon truly takes center stage in Child's more traditional recipe, which features only bacon and eggs, omitting additions like onions, shallots, and cheeses such as Gruyere and cheddar. Because of this, you might want to choose a high-quality brand like Hobbs, which Chef Thomas Keller regards as the best, in your pursuit of quiche Lorraine perfection.

Recommended

Next up

Advertisement