Bread pudding for dinner? Sure, if it’s a savory version
Food historians have traced the origins of bread pudding to 13th century England, where impoverished cooks began to bake stale bread with milk and a sweetener to make it palatable. Over time and in more prosperous kitchens, butter, eggs, jam and dried fruit were added to bread pudding recipes to make them downright tasty.
These days, it is difficult to make a case for eating such a rich dessert on a regular basis. But what if I lost the sugar and added some vegetables? It turns out that savory bread pudding is just as rich and satisfying as sweet ones, and more practical for the everyday cook since they can be served for dinner.
It is easy to improvise variations of this recipe using ingredients you have on hand. Some combinations to consider:
• Artichoke hearts, roasted garlic and fontina.
• Spinach, sauteed red onions, bacon and cheddar.
• Corn kernels (fresh or frozen), slivered sun-dried tomatoes, basil and smoked mozzarella.
• Leeks and Stilton.
Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms, Spinach and Leeks
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
1 lg (12-oz) baguette
4 TBS unsalted butter, divided
3 leeks, white and light green parts, washed and finely chopped
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
Salt, divided
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 lg eggs
1 qt half-and-half
Ground black pepper
12 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven. Slice baguette crosswise into -inch-thick slices. Place on a baking sheet and toast until dry and just beginning to color around the edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Brush some butter on one side of each bread slice. Add leeks to skillet with remaining butter and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in spinach and set aside.
Whisk eggs, half-and-half, teaspoon salt and ground black pepper to taste together in a large bowl. Add bread slices and gently toss to coat. Arrange bread slices in overlapping rows in a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour remaining liquid over bread and let stand 10 minutes.
Spoon mushroom and spinach mixture in between bread slices. Sprinkle cheese over pudding. Bake until puffed, golden and set, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes and serve warm.
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