A Goose Egg

A goose egg may come in many sizes, but the phrase itself has acquired a few cultural meanings as well.

A zero. Usually in reference to the score of a game.

An unfortunate head injury, typically accidental (but sometimes not.)

Or literally, an unusually large whitish globe three times the size of a hen's egg.

I jumped at the chance to purchase a half dozen of locally-laid goose eggs through the food co-op to which I belong. Goose eggs are gargantuan in comparison to a regular-sized hen egg.

But nothing compares to the emu eggs I found at a farmers' market in Arizona. Talk about a meal. But I digress.

I pondered what to make with these peculiar orbs that stood upright in their plastic container like soldiers at attention. Then it came to me: a goose egg and kale quiche.

Searching around for a pie plate, I found this old one gleaned from my grandmother and permanently borrowed from my mother.While the whole wheat and olive oil pastry crust from Chocolate and Zucchini rested in the refrigerator, I began mixing the filling ingredients, starting first by cracking these eggs.

Suffice it to say a goose egg shell is tough, and it took slamming it against the counter to access the raw contents within. The yolk of a goose egg is more solid than a hen egg, almost custard-like. No wonder. Curiously searching a goose egg's nutritional composition, I found that one goose egg's yolk contains 19 grams of fat and 400% of one's daily need for cholesterol. I'll make the disclaimer now that goose eggs should be eaten in moderation. And shared with others.

But the quiche that these eggs created was the richest, most custardy egg pie I've ever eaten. The soft French feta I sprinkled throughout probably enhanced the richness, too.

But don't fret for my heart health. If you're making a call to the cardiologist for me because I've just gone off the deep end and combined egg yolks, olive oil pie crust and full-fat feta cheese, I've got it covered. I added in a few handfuls of chopped kale and onions for a sprinkle of cardioprotection. Always thinking.

One decadently fatty quiche, coming right up.

Goose Egg and Kale Quiche

one whole wheat pie crust made with locally-grown flour

4 goose eggs from Silvermine Farm

1 Tbsp milk

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cups chopped kale

a pinch of sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 ounces feta cheese (I used a goat's milk French feta I can only find here)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs, milk salt, pepper, and 1 ounce of crumbled feta in a bowl. Add kale and onions and mix until vegetables are incorporated. Pour mixture into pie crust and sprinkle remaining 1 ounce of cheese on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cheese has browned.

Try not to eat the whole thing.

Question of the Day: How do eggs play into your religious or springtime traditions?

(P.S. I love this Tilly's Nest post that lists some other great chicken and egg cultural sayings (or did the egg come first?)