Guest Recipe - Seafood Quiche

I have the pleasure of spotlighting a good friend and fellow foodie's recipe for Seafood Quiche.  This is a much more adventurous recipe for this Southern girl, but what a beautiful picture and I think it would stand up against any Coastal recipe and take a prize.  I tried to use very little editing in order to maintain the Chef's wicked sense of humor.  Here is his recipe and I hope you enjoy.

SEAFOOD QUICHE

Pie Crust:  If not making my own, I prefer Oronque Farms frozen crusts.

4 eggs (sometimes I use more)
1 cup of light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (less visible than black pepper)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or sprinkle some fresh dill onto each layer.  I use twice this amount myself, but I like dill in seafood.
1/2 pound of of mozzarella, sliced thinly as possible, cubed.
About a pound or big double handful of shrimp and/or scallops.  Surimi works too.
A big handful of fresh spinach or parboiled broccoli tops cut small.
1 package of frozen spinach (squeezed and drained well).
1 big a** crawfish (Texas, Louisiana, or even Upstate New York).  (Chef's note:  The crawfish stays in place better if they are dead, so cooked is good).

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

If using bay scallops use whole, sea scallops slice in half or thirds.  Pre-cook them a little to get some liquid out.  Not long enough for them to turn completely white.  The liquid can be mixed in with the egg mixture.  If so, use a tad less cream.  If the scallops are put in raw, the liquid yielded may not mix.

Cover rim of pie crust with aluminum foil, shiny side out.  Thin strips pinched around the rim to prevent burning.

Place unbaked crust on a metal tray to prevent dripping when putting into the oven.  I put it on an upside-down tray so I can slide it off onto the oven shelf.

Mix eggs, cream, spices, salt and pepper.

Add a layer of shrimp or scallops.  Fill in spaces with egg mix.  Add a layer of fresh spinach or broccoli pieces, cheese, fresh dill.  Cover with egg mix.  Repeat layers until pie is 99% filled.  Add a bed of chopped and drained frozen spinach, pushing down into the egg mix, especially near the edges.

Place whole crawfish on top, pushing down a bit for stability.

Place in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 degrees.  Carefully remove foil when you reduce the heat to help in the browning.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

For a deep-dish pie bake at 350 degrees and use proportionately more filling.