Thaw

• Thawed frozen broccoli retains the most broccoli flavor when baking a quiche. This is because it doesn’t go through any heavy cooking process, it simply comes closer to room temperature. Thawing the broccoli not only keeps flavor intact, it retains the crispness of the vegetable, so that your quiche has a little texture. Thaw frozen broccoli overnight in the refrigerator for the easiest results. You can also pop it into the microwave. Place the frozen broccoli in a large bowl, add a little water and microwave in one-minute bursts on defrost. Repeat heating, stirring often, until the broccoli reaches room temperature.

Steam

• Steaming is a common way to cook frozen or fresh broccoli. Steaming can slightly reduce the crispness of the vegetable, however. This may make your quiche taste a little watery, depending on the recipe. Steam the veggies by adding a little water to a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, place the broccoli in a steam basket and place the basket in the pan. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, steam the frozen broccoli to desired tenderness and drain. You can also steam veggies using a microwave. Toss the broccoli and a little water together in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, microwave to desired tenderness and drain.

Boil

• Boiling broccoli kills the vegetable in terms of taste. However, it can be a useful way to lighten up the frozen broccoli flavor before baking it into a quiche. Boiling also leaves the broccoli limp and soft, so there’s little in terms of texture. This can help “sneak” the vegetable into the quiche without altering the smooth texture. Boil broccoli by filling a saucepan with water. Bring the water to a boil, stir in the broccoli and cook to desired tenderness. Boiling the broccoli very briefly is known as parboiling, and it helps bring out the broccoli color and flavor without wilting the vegetable.

Bake

• Baking broccoli is not the most common cooking method, but it is an optional step before baking your quiche. Baking the broccoli helps bring out the flavor and texture slightly by drying the broccoli out. It also enhances the color greatly, and adds a gold-green hue to the quiche. Bake broccoli by placing the frozen vegetable in a lightly greased pan, place the pan in the oven at desired temperature and bake to desired done-ness.

Tips

• There are many ingredients you can add to turn a plain broccoli quiche into an extraordinary dish. Pair the broccoli with Swiss, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese for a cheese lover’s quiche. Add ham and cheddar to the veggies for a hearty ham quiche. Toss smoked bacon and smoked Gouda into the broccoli for a smoky-flavored quiche. For the best results, don’t overload the quiche with additions. Too many ingredients can make the quiche lose its creamy quality.