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Ingredients
- 1/2 loaf day-old hearty white bread, crusts removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 2 medium leeks
- 4 tablespoons pure olive oil
- 8 medium cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 5 ounces gruyere cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
Details
Servings 6
Adapted from us6.campaign-archive2.com
Preparation
Step 1
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and grease a 9-inch pie plate with canola oil. Set aside.
Trim the leeks an inch above the white part (extending into the light-green area) and at the root. Slice them in half lengthwise and wash out any excess sand you find. Place them cut side down and slice them into 1/4-inch pieces.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the leeks and sauté until they are translucent and slightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl to cool.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, tossing them occasionally. (When they first start to wilt, the mushrooms will exude moisture. Just continue cooking them; the liquid will cook off.) When the mushrooms are a deep golden brown, transfer them to a bowl to cool.
Whisk the milk, half-and-half, parsley, eggs, egg yolks, and salt in a medium bowl. Set the custard aside.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Toss with the melted butter, coating well. Add the reserved leeks and mushrooms, and the gruyere. Toss to distribute evenly. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly—it’s important to not pack in the bread. It will stand taller than the dish by maybe 1/2 inch. Pour the custard over the bread mixture, working your way around the dish to allow the bread to soak up a consistent amount of custard. Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature so the bread can soak up the custard.
Place the baking dish on the second prepared baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Press down lightly in the center to see if the custard is set or still liquid. If still liquid, bake it, covered, for a few more minutes. When it is set, remove the foil and return the pudding to the oven for another 20 minutes to crisp and caramelize the bread and cheese on top.
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