Savory Cheese Bread Puddings Recipes

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH HERBS AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut the bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes. If your bread is very fresh, put the cubes on a sheet pan and place in a 200-degree oven while you prep the other ingredients.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat and add the shallots. Saute the shallots until they are soft and translucent.
• Add the wine and increase the heat to high. Boil the wine mixture until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, add the eggs and half and half and whisk. Add the herbs, cheese, shallot mixture and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Add the bread and stir until thoroughly coated with the custard.
• Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole and pour the bread and custard mixture in.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 3-quart casserole dish with butter.
• Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, cognac and some salt and pepper in a large bowl. Place the bread slices into the egg-cream mixture and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Cut the mushrooms into large dice and add to food processor along with the shallots and process until finely, finely chopped. Put a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. Once the pan is heated, add the mushroom/shallot mixture and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat under a medium cast-iron pan to medium-high and add the oil. Once heated, add the sliced spring onion and sear until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
• To assemble, first put a third of the bread in the prepared casserole dish, then half of the mushroom duxelles, half of the seared onion and another third of the bread. Press down and top with the remaining mushroom duxelles and onions. Top with the remaining bread and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Put into the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

SAVORY GOAT CHEESE AND TOMATO BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish or other shallow 3-quart baking pan.
• Butter each bread slice on one side. Stack the bread, 6 at a time, and cut on the diagonal into triangles. Place half of the bread pieces, buttered sides down, in the bottom of the prepared dish. Scatter the goat or feta cheese over the bread in one layer. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the cheese. Top with the remaining buttered bread pieces, buttered sides up.
• In a bowl with a whisk, beat eggs, milk and pesto until well-blended. Pour over the bread and cheese mixture in the dish. Tamp down the top pieces of bread lightly with the back of a fork so that they soak up some liquid. Sprinkle the top with the grated cheese. Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, remove the dish from the refrigerator and place it in a cold oven; turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes with the foil on; remove foil and continue to bake until pudding is puffed and golden brown on top, 25 to 30 more minutes.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH BROCCOLI AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Rub the bread slices, front and back, with the cut clove of garlic. Cut into cubes. Place in a bowl and toss with 1 cup of the milk and let sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Note: If the bread is too hard to cut safely, place the whole chunk in a bowl with 1 cup of the milk. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer, turning the bread in the milk every once in a while. Remove the bowl with the soaked bread from the refrigerator. Break up the bread with your hands. Using a wooden spoon, a whisk or an immersion blender, mash or beat the soaked bread so that the mixture turns into a mush.
• In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and goat cheese. Beat in the milk. Add salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon), a few twists of pepper and the bread, along with any milk remaining in the bowl in which you soaked the bread. Stir well to combine. Let sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the sides of a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with the cut side of a garlic clove. Oil or butter the dish. Mince any remaining garlic from the halves you used to rub the bread and the dish. Break up the broccoli crowns into florets and steam for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and cut the florets into 1/2-inch slices, or chop coarsely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in 1 teaspoon of the thyme, the broccoli, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir together for a minute, until the broccoli is nicely seasoned, and remove from the heat. Stir into the bread mixture.
• Scrape the bread mixture into the baking dish. If including tomatoes, scrape in half the bread mixture and layer half the tomatoes on top. Spread the remaining bread mixture over the tomatoes and top with the remaining tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the remaining thyme and drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place in the oven and bake 50 minutes, until puffed, set and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve hot or warm.