Mushroom Bread Pudding
From Jefferey.
A savory delight! This is based on the Italian tradition of fresh boletes, recycling of yesterdays bread and strong full flavored stocks. Not to be missed as side dish for a special occasion or as a main dish when it is cold and rainy outside.
Filling
- half pound of mushrooms (fresh boletes or Shiitakes or dried mushrooms can be substituted)
- garlic - one clove
- one half onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Bread Pudding
- half loaf of bread
- 3 eggs, beaten
- half cup
- grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon of minced Italian parsley
- salt, approx. half teaspoon
- pepper (lots)
- half cube of butter
- two cups homemade stock (chicken, vegetable or beef)
Step One:
Saute onions and garlic until transparent and then add mushrooms. Continue until mushrooms are golden brown. Salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.
Step Two:
Butter the inside of a souffle pan. Slice the half loaf of bread. Butter both sides of each slice of bread and put an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Put the cooked mushroom over the first bread layer. Combine the eggs, cheese, salt, pepper and parsley. Pour one half the mixture over the mushroom and bread layers. Cover the mushroom layer with one more layer of buttered and sliced bread. Pour the remaining eggs cheese mixture over the top bread layer. Pour approx. two cups of stock (you could even use mushroom stock) over the bread mushroom mixture. It should just come to the top layer of bread.Let the mixture absorb the stock for at least one half hour. It could even hold overnight in the refrigerator. Bake fifteen minutes at 400 degrees. The pudding will puff up and get a beautiful golden brown crust on top. Carefully run a knife around the inside of souffle pan, and invert on a plate to unmold this beauty. Serve with a small amount of Parmesan cheese, if desired.This was the prize at our family Christmas dinner this year (1996). Even Mom loved it!
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