Savory Bread Pudding With Herbs And Cheese Food

HERBED BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs to a homogeneous mixture. Whisk in the milk, cream, gruyere and cayenne. Sprinkle the mixture with salt. Toss in the herbs and bread and let sit for 1 hour. Spray the muffin tin with nonstick spray and divide the cream-bread mixture into 6 individual portions. Place the muffin tin on a sheet tray and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Check halfway through the baking process and rotate the tray.
• Let the puddings rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SAVORY HERB BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Lightly grease a 10-inch (25 cm) square baking dish.
• Preheat a 6-quart (5.7 L) pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery in the olive oil with a pinch of salt until onion is lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in the onion powder, sage, thyme, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and several dashes of pepper and turn off the heat.
• Put the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked vegetable mixture and toss to thoroughly coat. Pour in the vegetable broth, ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, mixing well after each addition. The bread should be moist but not soggy, so you may not need to add all the broth.
• Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit before serving.

HERB & APPLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta, raise the heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes, until starting to brown. Stir in the onion, celery, and apple and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the sherry, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone. Off the heat, stir in the parsley.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs, cream, chicken stock and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese together in a very large mixing bowl. Add the bread cubes first and then the vegetable mixture, stirring well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to soak. Stir well and pour into a 2 1/2- to 3-cup gratin dish (13 x 9 x 2 inches). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Gruyere and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the custard is set. (Insert a knife in the middle to check.) Serve hot or warm.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH ROASTED SHALLOTS, PECANS, AND HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt butter in an 8 to 10-inch oven-proof saute pan and then add shallots. Transfer to oven and roast until lightly browned, stirring often. Remove pan from oven and set aside.
• Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 6-inch saute pan. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds; do not let garlic color. Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Carefully add brandy and flambe. Remove pan from heat immediately when flames subside. Stir in herbs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Place the cream, eggs, pecans, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a blender with the sauteed shallots (make sure to scrape the pan with a rubber spatula). Blend on high speed for about 20 seconds. Set aside.
• Mix the cream mixture with the toasted pecans, bread cubes, and mushroom mixture. Mix well and refrigerate for about 1 hour, stirring every once in a while so that the bread fully absorbs the flambeed mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt butter and then thoroughly brush the inside of 6 individual-sized ramekins. (It's best to use cool ramekins because the butter sticks better and forms a thicker coat). Fill ramekins about 3/4 full with the bread pudding mixture. Brush the tops with more melted butter. Place ramekins in a water bath and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and from water bath and let cool for about 15 minutes. Run a paring knife around the bread pudding on the inside edge of the ramekin. Invert onto serving plates. The bread pudding can be prepared 1 day in advance, refrigerated, and reheated before serving.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook until well-browned. Add onions, bell peppers, and green onions and saute until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken broth and cook, stirring, for one minute. Remove skillet from heat.
• Place bread cubes in large mixing bowl. Add milk and half and half and stir. Allow to set until milk is completely absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Add onion, peppers, and sausage mixture to bread. Fold in beaten eggs, cheeses, and seasonings. Spoon mixture into buttered 9 x 13" casserole. Can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight at this point. Remove from frig and allow to warm up on counter for 30 minutes before baking. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread sour cream over top of casserole and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for additional 15 minutes, or until browned on top.

GARLIC AND HERB BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pour boiling water into a bowl. Place sun-dried tomatoes into the boiling water; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well; finely chop.
• Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minuted, stirring constantly. Combine the milk and eggs in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, half of mozzarella cheese, half of Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper.
• Place bread in a shallow 1 1/2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Pour milk mixture over bread, gently stirring to coat. Let mixture stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a bowl, toss the bread cubes with melted butter and chopped savory. Transfer to a baking sheet and toast until crispy and golden, about 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Break up sausage into silver-dollar-sized pieces and add to skillet; cook thoroughly about 10 minutes. Transfer sausage to a large bowl and let cool.
• Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to skillet. Add leeks and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in apple and transfer mixture to bowl with sausage; let cool.
• Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil. Add bread cubes to bowl with sausage and leek mixture; toss to combine and transfer to baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, vinegar, 3/4 cup cheese, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the persillade; pour over bread mixture. Cover baking dish tightly with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil and transfer to oven. Bake until a paring knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• Uncover and sprinkle pudding with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Preheat the broiler; broil pudding until golden, about 3 minutes. Cut into squares and serve garnished with truffles if desired.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH TOMATOES AND HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Oil or butter a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. If the bread is soft, toast it lightly and rub all the slices, front and back, with the cut clove of garlic. If it's stale, just rub with garlic Mince what garlic remains. Combine the two cheeses in a small bowl.
• Layer half of the bread slices in the baking dish. Top with half the tomato slices. Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt, pepper, and half the thyme, rosemary, and remaining garlic. Top with half the cheese. Repeat the layers.
• Beat together the eggs and milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few twists of the pepper mill, and pour over the bread and tomato layers. Place in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed and browned. Remove from the oven and serve hot or warm.

SCARBOROUGH FAIR - SAVOURY BACON, ONION AND HERB BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
• Grease a large baking dish or tray about 12" by 8" in size.
• Tear the bread into small pieces and pour the hot stock over the bread - mix well and allow to soak for about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon over a medium to high heat; as soon as the fat starts to run, add the chopped onions. Stirring the bacon and onions constantly, cook them together for about 15-20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the bacon is crisp.
• Add the bacon and onion mixture to the soaked bread and mix well.
• Add the rest of the ingredients - continue to mix them together thoroughly.
• Pour the bread pudding into the greased dish or tray, level the mixture out with a spoon and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until well risen, firm to the touch and golden brown.
• Take out of the oven and allow to "rest" for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
• Serves 4 people as a light supper or lunch dish with gravy and 6 people as an appetiser, also with gravy if you wish.
• Also great for picnics, brunch or breakfast.

GOAT CHEESE AND PROSCIUTTO SAVORY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Toast bread cubes in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or so, stirring halfway through. Leave oven on at 350.
• In a bowl, mix together eggs, yolk, milk, and cream until thoroughly blended.
• In another bowl, toss together bread cubes, prosciutto, shallot, mushrooms, pine nuts, thyme, and pepper.
• Spray or lightly butter a 9x9 square baking pan and pour in the bread mixture, pat to distribute evenly. Crumble the chevre over all and mix in slightly with hands.
• Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese such as parmesan or gruyere, for a golden crust.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or it springs back when you poke it in the middle. Alternately, when a thermometer inserted into center reads above 145 degrees it is done.