I have company coming this weekend. They’re getting the Savory Breakfast Strata from Nealey Thompson of Cook’s Warehouse – recipe down below. She made hers with chard but I’m using kale.
Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1-1/2 to 2 inch cubes Extra virgin olive oil 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced (or green onions – do you have any left in your veg drawer? it’s ok to substitute some red onion) 2 – 3 large sprigs thyme 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1 bunch kale, stripped, chopped, and rinsed but not dried 1 pound mushrooms from your favorite mushroom farmer, cleaned and quartered 1 quart cherry tomatoes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups whole milk 6 tablespoon dry white wine (use a mini bottle if you don’t have a large bottle on hand) 8 large eggs 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces Gruyere, grated on large holes of box grater
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Transfer bread cubes to sheet pan and cook until toasty and dry, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
In a large Dutch oven, heat a glug of olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks, thyme springs, and a big pinch of salt and sauté until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute or so. Remove thyme springs and transfer to a separate bowl.
Add the greens to the skillet and a big pinch of salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted but still bright, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the leeks.
Add another splash of olive oil to the skillet and add the mushrooms and a big pinch of salt. Cook until golden brown, about 5 – 7 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the vegetables.
Add a big glug of olive oil to the skillet and add the whole cherry tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Cook until the tomatoes just start to burst, about 5 – 7 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the other vegetables.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine cream, milk, wine, eggs, Dijon, and plenty of salt and pepper. Whisk until mixture is very well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. You want to it to be very well seasoned. If this mixture is bland, the whole dish will be bland. (Yes, I taste my raw egg mixture. It’s the only way to know if it is good. Use pasteurized eggs if this makes you nervous.)
Add the bread cubes, sauteed vegetables, and grated Gruyere to the egg mixture and carefully mix until everything is evenly and very well combined.
Pour the mixture into a buttered 9 x 13 casserole dish. It’s okay if some of the bread edges poke out. Loosely cover with plastic wrap (don’t smoosh it) and transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
When ready to bake, turn oven on 350 degrees F and remove strata from the fridge to warm up a bit. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking until puffed and golden brown, about 35 to 40 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.