Fresh duck eggs have become one of my new favorite ingredients. They’re more formidable than chicken eggs, with a larger, creamier yolk and a richer taste:

And the high protein levels in duck egg whites also promise fluffier consistencies when used in recipes. If you can find a good source of local duck eggs, they’re a perfect way to amp up your omelettes or make a creamier carbonara sauce. I’ve found that they pair especially well with the wild mushrooms that are in abundance this year in the Seattle area. Here’s a bonus Fall mushroom recipe for a duck egg quiche with chanterelles and Gruyere:

In addition to a pie crust, you’ll need about:

7 duck eggs
1/2 cup cream or milk (you can get away with 2% milk because duck eggs already lend a lot of creaminess)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 pound of chanterelles, cut in halves or thirds (before cooking, clean your chanterelles with a damp paper towel, and trim the tip of the bottom stem)
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese (my favorite is Raw Milk Cave-Aged Gruyere)
A few tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & pepper

Start by making your pie crust. For a single quiche, I halve my double crust pie recipe, eliminating the sugar from the dough.

As the dough is chilling, you can get started on the filling. Sauté the green onions and chanterelles in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms brown, and season with salt and pepper. Next, beat the eggs in a large bowl, adding more salt and pepper, as well as the milk/cream.

Roll out the dough and transfer to a pie plate. Add the mushrooms and onions, making sure they are spread evenly, then sprinkle the Gruyere on top before pouring in the egg mixture.

Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes, or when the quiche browns to your liking. If the crust browns faster than the top of the quiche, you can make a protective ring with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Also – if you don’t have the time or energy to make crust from scratch (though it’s really not that bad!), you can easily make a frittata version – a sort of Italian omelette (frittata comes from the word “fritta,”which means fried, referring to the use of a skillet to make the dish). After sautéing the mushrooms and onions, pour the egg mixture, without adding milk/cream, directly into the same skillet. Cook for several minutes to let the eggs set, lifting the edges with a spatula a few times. Then sprinkle some cheese on top and bake in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes. There’s your less buttery alternative – whether that’s better or worse is up to you!