Crab And Mushroom Strata Recipes

STRATA WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHARD

Steps:

• If the bread is soft, toast it lightly and rub each slice front and back with the cut clove of garlic. Cut in 1-inch dice. If the bread is stale, just rub the slices with garlic and cut them into 1-inch dice. Place in a very large bowl, and toss with 2/3 cup of the milk. Set aside.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup, and cover with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Set a strainer over a bowl, line with cheesecloth, a coffee filter or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all of the broth. Rinse, away from the strainer, in several changes of water to wash off sand. Squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 cup of the mushroom broth, and combine with the remaining milk.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the chard. Stir until the leaves begin to wilt in the liquid left on them after washing. Cover the pan, and let the chard steam until it has completely collapsed, about two minutes. Uncover and stir. When all of the chard has wilted, remove from the pan and rinse briefly with cold water. Press or squeeze out excess liquid. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, turn the heat down to medium and add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the reconstituted mushrooms, the rosemary and the chard. Stir together for a couple of minutes, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, and transfer to the bowl with the bread cubes. Add the cheeses, and toss together. Arrange in the baking dish.
• Beat together the eggs in a medium bowl. Add salt to taste (I use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon), the remaining milk and the mushroom broth. Add a few twists of the peppermill and pour over the bread. Press the bread down into the custard mixture. Sprinkle a little Parmesan over the top, and drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Place in the oven, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed and browned. Remove from the oven, and serve hot or warm.

CRAB AND ROASTED RED PEPPER STRATA

Steps:

• Butter 10-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk eggs and half and half in medium bowl to blend. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in green onions, parsley and thyme. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add crab and bread cubes and toss to combine. Add egg mixture, salt, and pepper; mix until well combined. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Let stand 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle strata with cheese. Bake until brown and puffed, about 1 hour. Cool on rack 30 minutes (center will fall). Using sharp knife, cut around edge to loosen. Cut into wedges and serve.

CRAB STRATA

Steps:

• Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. In casserole, mix bread cubes, crabmeat, cheeses, capers and onions.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk. Beat in milk, sherry, mustard and Worcestershire sauce; pour over bread mixture. Cover tightly; refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional onions and bell pepper.

CRAB AND SWISS STRATA

Steps:

• Spread English muffin halves with the 3 tablespoons butter.
• Line a greased 2 quart rectangular baking dish with half the muffins, buttered side up.
• In a medium bowl combine the crabmeat and cheeses and layer this mixture over the muffins in the dish; sprinkle with capers and top with remaining muffins; buttered side up.
• In a large skillet, cook onions in the 1 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or until l tender.
• Stir in sherry and Worcestershire sauce.
• Bring to just boiling and remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, mustard, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste (dash of each).
• Stir in onion mixture.
• Carefully pour over muffin layers in baking dish and press muffins lightly with back of a large spoon to moisten tops.
• Cover and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and bake uncovered for 50 minutes or until muffins are browned and knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CRAB STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 2 1/2 qt casserole dish.
• Mix eggs and half and half.
• Saute onion in butter till soft,about 5 minutes.
• Add peppers and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in thyme.
• Transfer mixture to large bowl.
• Add crab and bread cubes and toss to combine.
• Add egg mixture, Old Bay, and pepper; mix until well combined.
• Pour into prepared baking dish.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sprinkle strata with cheese.
• Bake until brown and puffed, about 1 hour.

MUSHROOM AND THREE-CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Combine bread and milk in large bowl. Let stand until milk is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk half and half and next 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Stir in goat cheese.
• Place half of bread mixture in single layer in prepared glass baking dish (bread will not cover bottom of baking dish). Top with half each of mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, Fontina cheese, and half and half mixture. Repeat layering with remaining bread, mushrooms, Parmesan and Fontina cheeses, and half and half mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Bake strata uncovered until firm in center, puffed and golden, about 1 hour.

CRAB AND MUSHROOM STRATA

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into a 12-inch frying pan or 14-inch wok over medium-high heat; when hot, add mushrooms and garlic and stir until mushrooms begin to brown and liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vinegar and thyme; cook, stirring often, to blend flavors, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to blend.
• Cover bottom of a 3-quart baking dish (such as 9 by 13 in., at least 2 in. deep) with bread slices, trimming if necessary to fit in a single layer. Spread half the mushroom mixture evenly over bread; top with all the crab and half the green onions. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup cheese. Pour half the custard mixture evenly over cheese. Arrange another layer of bread on top (overlap slightly if desired; save any extra bread for other uses), followed by remaining mushroom mixture, green onions, and 1 cup cheese. Spoon remaining custard mixture evenly over the top. Let strata stand at room temperature about 15 minutes, or cover and chill.
• Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree regular or convection oven until center is set (cut to test) and top is well browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Cut into rectangles or scoop out with a large spoon to serve.