Mekyabetsu to koebi no kisshu / quiche with brussels sprouts and bay shrimp

A simple quiche with brussels sprouts and bay shrimp. Brussels spouts are sauteed until lightly golden to caramelize them slightly, which highlights their natural sweetness. A gentle and rich combination in a personal-size savory tart.

1/2 of recipe with okara soybean pulp tart crust:
515 calories; 21.1 g protein; 39.4 g fat; 20.0 g carbohydrate; 9.6 g net carbs; 209 mg sodium; 253 mg cholesterol; 10.4 g fiber


<Ingredients>

(Makes two 12 cm/5" tarts)
2 12 cm/5" tart crusts made of okara soybean pulp (not in photo)
5 mekyabetsu brussels sprouts (113 g in photo)
Small handful cooked bay shrimp (62 g)
1/2 small onion (58 g in photo)
1 small clove garlic
Black pepper, to taste (not in photo)
1/2 tsp olive oil (not in photo)

For cream/milk + egg mixture
1 egg
70 cc heavy cream
60 cc milk
1/4 tsp shiokoji salted rice malt
Black pepper, to taste (not in photo)
8-10 g Gruyere cheese　（9 g used for this recipe)

<Directions>
1.
Heat oven to 190 C/380 F.

2.

Remove discolored outer leaves of brussels sprouts, and cut in half.
If halved pieces are relatively large, cut the hard center section toward bottom.
Slice onion and garlic.
Lightly beat egg.

3.

Mix cream, milk, egg and black pepper, and set aside.

4.

Microwave brussels sprouts for 30 seconds or so.

Uncover container and let out hot air. 

5.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil, and saute garlic on medium low heat.

Add brussels sprouts, and saute, flipping from time to time. 

Add onion to garlic, and saute until translucent.  

Add black pepper to both onion + garlic and brussels sprouts.

6.

Meanwhile, bring 300 cc or so water to boil.
When vigorously boiling, add bay shrimp, count to 10, and drain. (This process is to desalinate cooked shrimp.)

7.

In tart crusts, place onion + garlic, brussels sprouts and bay shrimp.

Pour cream/milk + egg mixture. 

Top with grated Gruyere cheese.

8.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until top is somewhat lightly golden. 

<Notes>

• Frozen cooked shrimp (any size) normally contain additional sodium. Quickly boiling thawed shrimp removes some sodium (7-9%) and is recommended to prevent the dish from tasting too salty. For recipes using bay shrimp, we normally use frozen cooked "cold water" shrimp that contain 190 mg sodium per 3 oz/85 g. Sodium content varies by brand and can easily exceed 200 or 300 mg (the highest I have seen is 550 mg) per 3 oz/85 g. 
• No salt or salty seasoning is added to goodies or cream/milk + egg mixture above: saltiness from shrimp (even after quick desalination) and cheese is sufficient.
• While sauteing vegetables, make sure to cook brussels sprouts' cut surfaces until lightly brown to bring out their sweet note. This works as a natural flavoring, not only for the green veggies but also for the quiche overall.