Mushroom Bread Pudding
This rich and savory bread pudding is perfect served alongside roast beef or pork tenderloin. It also makes a hearty vegetarian main course. And it’s so deliciously cheesy!
Ingredients
- 1 1b. crusty bread, cubed
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 tsp. chopped thyme
- 2 garlic cloves
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 lb. assorted mushrooms (like Crimini, Portobello, or Button)
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 leeks, cleaned and finely diced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (plus a tablespoon or two more for garnish)
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup half & half
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 8 large eggs
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Butter 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Place bread cubes out on a foil rimmed baking sheet and use hands to toss with oil, thyme, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Then, bake until browned and toasted, shaking the pan occasionally, for about twenty minutes. When bread cubes are toasted, remove from oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool. Lower oven temperature to 350° F.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and leeks, and sauté about ten minutes. Then, add mushrooms and sauté five more minutes. Add onions, leeks, and mushrooms to the bread cubes. Add chopped parsley and basil to the bread cube and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly and transfer to the buttered baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix together half & half, heavy cream, eggs, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over bread cubes and vegetables. Top with shredded Parmesan and Fontina cheese. Bake until stuffing is set and top is golden, about one hour. Let rest for fifteen minutes before serving. Garnish with more fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
Adapted from Bon Appétit, November 2006
Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12
