Mushroom And Fennel Bread Pudding |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes |
Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Most bread puddings are sweet treats. I love this because it's not. Filled with sautéed mushrooms, fennel, pecorino cheese, and a light custard that holds it all together, it’s sure to be a hit . What to buy: Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese from Italy. Read more . Here I used Gran Pecorino, an aged cheese that can be found at high-end groceries and cheese stores. Do not use Pecorino Romano for this recipe, as it will be too salty. If you can’t find Gran Pecorino, aged Asiago is a good substitute. Bread pudding can be made a day ahead and brought to room temperature or warmed in a 350°F oven prior to serving. Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter |
3/4 cup coarsely chopped white onion |
12 ounces coarsely chopped cremini mushrooms (about 4 cups) |
2 cups coarsely chopped fennel (from 1 medium bulb) |
2/3 cup finely chopped celery (from 2 medium stalks) |
2 cups heavy cream |
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth |
4 large eggs |
12 ounces ciabatta or other country-style bread, medium dice (about 8 cups) |
1 cup coarsely grated aged pecorino (about 3 ounces), such as gran pecorino (not pecorino romano) |
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh italian parsley |
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves |
Directions:
1. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. To prevent overcrowding, cook vegetables in batches. Once butter foams, add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stir in mushrooms, fennel, and celery. Cook until softened and mushroom juices have reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, at least 10 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange rack in the middle. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and set aside. Whisk together cream, chicken broth, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined.
3. Add bread, cooled vegetables, cheese, and herbs to cream mixture, and stir until bread is well coated. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then turn into the prepared baking dish. Allow bread to soak until well saturated, at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring about 10 cups water to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large pot.
4. Once bread has soaked and water is simmering, set the baking dish in a large roasting pan and add enough hot water to reach 2/3 of the way up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until custard is set and top is lightly browned, about 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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