Bread pudding for dinner? Sure, if it's a savory version

Posted on May 25, 2012 by bilrob

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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Bread pudding gets savory for dinner

Posted on May 21, 2012 by bilrob

Bread pudding gets savory for dinner

Food historians have traced the origins of bread pudding to 13th century England, where impoverished but resourceful cooks began to bake stale, leftover bread with milk and a little sugar 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. Slowly, bread pudding evolved from a humble dish of leftovers into a luxurious comfort food.

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 puddings are just as rich and satisfying as sweet ones, and more practical for the everyday cook since they can be served for dinner.

There are a few tricks to making a satisfying bread pudding, sweet or savory. For a pudding with character, choose the right loaf. Commercial sandwich slices become mushy to the point of disintegration when soaked in custard. A sturdy bread, such as a quality baguette or a sourdough country round, will hold its shape even when saturated. Cut your baguette into slices, or your round into 1-inch cubes. Use day-old bread or dry out your bread slices or cubes on a baking sheet in the oven before putting together your pudding. Once you’ve poured the custard mixture over the bread, let the dish stand on the countertop for 10 minutes so the bread can absorb the liquid.

Bad news for dieters: The most successful bread puddings are not low in fat. Using low-fat milk or skimping on eggs may result in a curdled and watery custard rather than a smooth and creamy one. But if you have some self-control you can enjoy a small portion of savory bread pudding accompanied by a large portion of salad greens without much guilt.

It is easy to improvise variations of the following recipe using ingredients you have on hand. Some combinations to consider:

Artichoke hearts, roasted garlic and Fontina

Spinach, sauteed red onions, bacon and Cheddar

Sauteed red bell peppers, Italian sausage (crumbled and cooked) and mozzarella

Blanched asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces), green peas, ham and fresh pecorino

Corn kernels (fresh or frozen), slivered sun-dried tomatoes, basil and smoked mozzarella

Leeks and Stilton

Sauteed eggplant cubes, seeded and sliced plum tomatoes and Parmesan

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Savory Bread Pudding

Posted on May 11, 2012 by bilrob

Savory Bread Pudding

Food historians have traced the origins of bread pudding to 13th-century England, where impoverished but resourceful cooks began to bake stale leftover bread with milk and a little sugar 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. Slowly, bread pudding evolved from a humble dish of leftovers into a luxurious comfort food.

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 puddings are just as rich and satisfying as sweet ones, and they’re more practical for the everyday cook since they can be served for dinner.

There are a few tricks to making a satisfying bread pudding, sweet or savory. For a pudding with character, choose the right loaf. Commercial sandwich slices become mushy to the point of disintegration when soaked in custard. A sturdy bread, such as a quality baguette or a sourdough country round, will hold its shape even when saturated. Cut a baguette into slices or a round into 1-inch cubes. Use day-old bread or dry out your bread slices or cubes on a baking sheet in the oven before putting together your pudding. Once you’ve poured the custard mixture over the bread, let the dish stand on the countertop for 10 minutes so the bread can absorb the liquid.

Bad news for dieters: The most successful bread

puddings are not low in fat. Using low-fat milk or skimping on eggs may result in a curdled and watery custard rather than a smooth and creamy one. But if you have some self-control, you can enjoy a small portion of savory bread pudding accompanied by a large portion of salad greens without much guilt.

It is easy to improvise variations of the following recipe using ingredients you have on hand. Some combinations to consider:

– Artichoke hearts, roasted garlic and fontina

– Spinach, sauteed red onions, bacon and cheddar

– Sauteed red bell peppers, Italian sausage (crumbled and cooked) and mozzarella

– Blanched asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces), green peas, ham and fresh pecorino

– Corn kernels (fresh or frozen), slivered sun-dried tomatoes, basil and smoked mozzarella

– Leeks and Stilton

– Sauteed eggplant cubes, seeded and sliced plum tomatoes and parmesan

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH MUSHROOMS, SPINACH AND LEEKS

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

1 large (12-ounce) baguette

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 leeks, white and light green parts, washed and finely chopped

1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

Salt, divided use

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

4 large eggs

1 quart half-and-half

Ground black pepper

12 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese

To prepare oven: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange rack in lower third of oven.

To toast bread: Slice baguette crosswise into -3/4-inch-thick slices. Place on baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes or until dry and just beginning to color around the edges. Set aside.

To saute vegetables: In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Brush some butter on 1 side of each bread slice. Set bread aside. Add leeks to skillet with remaining butter. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until mushrooms release their liquid. Stir in spinach. Set aside.

To assemble: In large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper to taste. Add bread slices. Gently toss to coat. In shallow 3-quart baking dish, arrange bread slices in overlapping rows. Pour remaining liquid over bread. Let stand for 10 minutes. Spoon vegetable mixture in between bread slices. Sprinkle with cheese.

To bake: Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed, golden and set. Let rest for 20 minutes. Serve.

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Eggnog bread pudding

Posted on January 1, 2012 by bilrob

Eggnog bread pudding

bread

Ingredients:

For the rum glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
one-fourth cup rum
Water, amount varies depending on humidity

For the cranberry compote:

3 cups fresh/frozen cranberries
one-half cup granulated sugar
one-half cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the pudding:

2 and one-fourth pounds croissants, torn by hand
8 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 and one-half cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons rum
4 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 and one-half teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
one-half teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
one-half cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. For rum glaze, mix powdered sugar with the rum and add enough water to make a thick glaze that you can spread over the baked and cooled bread pudding. Aim for a consistency of a cinnamon-roll glaze — not too runny. Add water a little bit at a time.

2. For cranberry compote, combine the cranberries, sugar and water in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Cook until the cranberries begin to pop, stirring occasionally. Allow the cranberries to simmer until most of the berries have popped, releasing their juices. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Serve warm or cool and transfer to a container for storage in the refrigerator.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for conventional oven or 300 degrees for convection oven. Coat a 13- inch-by-9-inch-by-2-inch baking pan with vegetable spray. Set aside. Place torn croissants in a large bowl. Set aside. In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, rum, brandy, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Pour mixture over the croissants. Mix with hands or a spoon to moisten bread. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with the sugar.

4. Bake until the center registers 180 degrees with an instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer at an angle into the center of the pudding to get an accurate reading. Allow pudding to cool at room temperature before spreading the rum glaze over the top. Serve pudding warm or allow to cool before wrapping and placing in refrigerator. Serve with the cranberry compote over the top. Makes 8-10 servings.

Source: Tracy Dempsey Originals, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bread Making with Bill & Sheila

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Butternut Squash Bread Pudding

Posted on December 4, 2011 by bilrob

Butternut Squash Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is easily one of my biggest obsessions. Sweet or savory, it can be made countless different ways with numerous different ingredients. My addiction to bread pudding started a few years back, when I first discovered it as a dessert at Parish Cafe. I haven’t stopped eating it since! Whether it’s stuffed with fruit, covered in melted cheese, drowning in toffee or just came out of the inside of a Thanksgiving turkey – it’s always pretty glorious.

Here’s a simple recipe for bread pudding that I love for a vegetarian-friendly bread pudding a few friends and I made for dinner recently. Inspired by the ingredients inside last weeks CSA, and with a little advice from epicurious, it turned out to be fantastic! And of course, we added cheese. LOTS of cheese.

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 apples, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 leek stem, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
7 eggs
2 1/4 cups half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 stale baguette, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 cup shallots, chopped
Some fresh spinach
Cheddar cheese & Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1) First, preheat the oven to 400′

2) In reality you can use whatever vegetables you want. Some recipes only include squash, we decided to go with a whole medley of veggie goodness combining butternut squash, yams, onions, leeks, apples and carrots in a casserole dish. Then add evoo, brown sugar, thyme, salt & pepper. Give the veggies a good mix so everything is covered with evoo and seasoning then place in the over to roast for 20-25 minutes.

3) While the veggies are roasting you’re going to want to take a bowl and combine eggs, half & half, butter, mustard and a pinch of salt, then whisk. If you have any dry white wine lying around you can throw a few teaspoons of that in too. We did. Next, take the stale bread and fold it into the batter. We used a sesame ficelle baguette from Iggy’s that was perfect but any baguette will do. Make sure all pieces of bread are covered in egg mixture then let this sit and soak for about 30 minutes.

4) With the veggies roasting and the bread soaking you’ll want to take a pan and heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, over medium-high heat. First you’ll want to throw in the shallots and saute for a few minutes until soft, next add the spinach and let cook for a couple of minutes. You’ll want to make sure you’re stirring fairly frequently so everything cooks evenly. Once the spinach has wilted a bit, it should be all set.

5) Next up, you’ll want to butter your baking dish. And butter aggressivley, so nothing sticks. The size of the dish is up to you depending on how many you are hoping to serve. There were four of us, and to be honest, I took a round one that looked like it would work. It made more than enough food for all of us. It probably could have served 6 or more.

6) Now you are ready to layer! Put half of the egg-covered bread in the baking dish, next layer with roasted vegetables, then the spinach, then the grated cheese, and repeat. You should be able to fit two full layers in a dish, and don’t be scared to really squeeze it all in there. Cover the top with more shredded cheese and pour over any extra egg mixture thats left in the bowl.

7) Cover the dish with tin foil, and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. After about 20 minutes you can remove the foil as the bread pudding continues to bake. Touch the bread to check and see if it’s ready, if it springs back almost like a sponge, you’re good! Turn the broiler on and let it cook for another 2 minutes so the cheese can start to brown. Don’t let it burn though, this literally takes no more than 2 minutes.

Once your bread pudding looks all sorts of golden and gorgeous take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Posted by Jacki Morisi November 30, 2011 10:16 AM

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Dessert Recipes – bread pudding with Bill & Sheila

Bread pudding turns leftovers into a showstopper

Posted on November 25, 2011 by bilrob

Bread pudding turns leftovers into a showstopper

Humble and rustic though it may be, sweet bread pudding is a showstopper in its own right. You’ll want to get a little of the custardy middle and a little of the toasted caramelized crust in every bite. Close your eyes, because this particular blend of sugar, cream and cinnamon requires complete focus. Whether you eat it for breakfast, brunch or dessert, by the end of the meal this dish will be licked clean.

A loaf of regular, day-old bread is perfectly fine in this dish. However, for an extra-special treat, I save all the stale brioche rolls and last lingering cinnamon buns from brunches throughout the months and freeze them in a bag together. When I have enough, I make one unforgettable bread pudding.

Note: Bread puddings are not the place to skimp or substitute lower-fat ingredients. Just close your eyes and crack those eggs, and remind yourself that you’ll be sharing this dish with a whole roomful of people.

Sweet Bread Pudding

10-12 cups stale bread, brioche or sweet rolls, torn into bite-sized pieces
5 cups whole milk (or a blend of milk and cream, if you’re feeling extra decadent)
6 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Optional bread pudding ingredients: 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit, 1/2 cup toasted nuts, 1 chopped apple or other fresh fruit

Optional flavoring ingredients: zest of one lemon, zest of one orange, 1/4 cup rum or Grand Marnier

Optional toppings: 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, streusel topping

Butter the inside of a 9-inch by 13-inc baking dish and arrange the bread pieces inside. If you’re using raisins, nuts, fruit or any other pudding ingredients, sprinkle them over the bread so they are distributed evenly.

Whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and any extra flavoring ingredients you’re using.

Slowly pour the milk mixture over the pudding, making sure it gets into all the nooks and crannies. Cover the casserole, and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight to fully absorb the custard.

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 325 degrees with a rack in the middle of the oven. Set the pudding on the counter while the oven is heating to take some of the chill off.

Sprinkle any toppings over the bread pudding and bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes. The bread pudding is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the tips are starting to toast.

Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Makes 8-10 servings.

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Bread Making with Bill & Sheila

Apple maple walnut bread pudding cooks away in the slow cooker

Posted on November 17, 2011 by bilrob

Apple Bread Pudding. This yummy bread pudding uses maple syrup as the sole sweetener. Simmered away in the slow cooker, it's a real kid pleaser and nutritious as well. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ HO

Apple maple walnut bread pudding cooks away in the slow cooker

Enlarge Image

Apple Bread Pudding. This yummy bread pudding uses maple syrup as the sole sweetener. Simmered away in the slow cooker, it’s a real kid pleaser and nutritious as well. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ HO

This yummy bread pudding uses maple syrup as the sole sweetener. Simmered away in the slow cooker, itâ€™s a real kid pleaser and nutritious as well.

Apple Bread Pudding

2 l (8 cups) slightly dry bread cubes

750 ml (3 cups) chopped peeled apples (such as Empire, Golden Delicious or Cortland)

125 ml (1/2 cup) dried cranberries or raisins

4 eggs

750 ml (3 cups) 2 per cent milk

300 ml (1 1/4 cups) pure maple syrup

175 ml (3/4 cup) chopped walnuts or pecans

Place bread cubes in slow cooker. Mix in apples and cranberries. In large bowl whisk together eggs, milk and 175 ml (3/4 cup) of maple syrup; pour over bread cubes, making sure bread is moistened.

Cook on Low for about 4 hours or until set in centre, sprinkling walnuts over top in 30 minutes.

To serve, spoon into bowls, drizzle each with 15 ml (1 tbsp) maple syrup.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 426 calories, 10 g protein, 13 g fat, 70 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre.

Source:Foodland Ontario.

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Bread pudding for dinner? Sure, if it's a savory version