Every now and then I like to shake things up, take a breakfast or a brunch dish, and eat it for dinner. This usually takes me in the direction of pancakes, but the other night I created a strata. A strata is basically a savoury version of a bread pudding (you could also think of it as a french toast casserole): cubes of bread are soaked in a basic milk and egg custard, and then the whole mixture is baked until the custard sets. I was initially skeptical of the idea, but the texture turned out to be quite delightful (very much like quiche). It was a great way to get rid of the extra loaf of bread that I had in my freezer, and it's also a great way use any random vegetables that you have in the fridge...
-1 loaf of bread, cut into cubes
-mushrooms, spinach, leeks (any vegetables really, in whatever quantity you like)
-10 eggs
-3 cups of milk
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-other seasonings as desired (next time I think I'll add some cayenne for spice)
-1/2 to 1 cup grated old cheddar (or any other cheese)
Note on ingredients: while I chose to make my strata of the vegetarian variety, you do not have to do the same. Feel free to add whatever meat you desire...ham, bacon, and sausage are natural companions to eggs (though chicken would be pretty good too).
1) Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until dry and lightly browned (3 to 5 minutes). You may have to toast the bread in several batches. Transfer the toasted cubes into a large mixing bowl.
2) Lower the heat on the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, set aside.
3) Heat a skillet over medium heat and saute the vegetables that you have chosen until they have begun to soften. Add the vegetables and the cheese to the bowl containing the bread and mix well.
4) In another bowl combine the eggs, milk, and seasonings. Add this to the bread mixture, mix well, and transfer to the waiting baking dish.
At this point most recipes recommend that you let the mixture sit, in the fridge, for at least two (and up to twelve) hours. I only had time to let it sit for 30 minutes or so and it turned out fine, but the longer you let it sit the more the egg mixture can penetrate the bread...which will make the strata more quiche-like.
5) Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until the custard is set (i.e., no longer runny). Let sit 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
-1 loaf of bread, cut into cubes
-mushrooms, spinach, leeks (any vegetables really, in whatever quantity you like)
-10 eggs
-3 cups of milk
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-other seasonings as desired (next time I think I'll add some cayenne for spice)
-1/2 to 1 cup grated old cheddar (or any other cheese)
Note on ingredients: while I chose to make my strata of the vegetarian variety, you do not have to do the same. Feel free to add whatever meat you desire...ham, bacon, and sausage are natural companions to eggs (though chicken would be pretty good too).
1) Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until dry and lightly browned (3 to 5 minutes). You may have to toast the bread in several batches. Transfer the toasted cubes into a large mixing bowl.
2) Lower the heat on the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, set aside.
3) Heat a skillet over medium heat and saute the vegetables that you have chosen until they have begun to soften. Add the vegetables and the cheese to the bowl containing the bread and mix well.
4) In another bowl combine the eggs, milk, and seasonings. Add this to the bread mixture, mix well, and transfer to the waiting baking dish.
At this point most recipes recommend that you let the mixture sit, in the fridge, for at least two (and up to twelve) hours. I only had time to let it sit for 30 minutes or so and it turned out fine, but the longer you let it sit the more the egg mixture can penetrate the bread...which will make the strata more quiche-like.
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| The requirement to let this recipe sit before baking is what makes a strata an ideal brunch dish: prep everything the night before, let sit in the fridge overnight, and then bake in the morning for a a warm and savoury breakfast. Alternatively, prep everything in the morning, let sit in the fridge throughout the day, and then have breakfast for dinner! |
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| Served with a lightly dressed salad. Also, even better for lunch the next day. |
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