Gale Gand's Recipe for Strata

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Strata is the bread pudding of savory egg dishes. This super-easy treat generally includes cubes or slices of bread that have been soaked in custard, then baked in a casserole dish or a rectangular baking pan. This is a great make-ahead dish � it tastes best if you prepare it the day before and let it soak overnight before baking. Like many egg dishes, a strata can incorporate all sorts of different ingredients, so there's a lot of flexibility here.

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  • 8

Ingredients

  • 5 cups of cubed French bread (with crust)
  • Grated cheese (see Variations)
  • 10 large eggs
  • 1 quart whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Filling ingredients (see Variations)
  • BACON, CHEDDAR, MUSHROOM, AND TOMATO
  • Sprinkle 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon (6 to 8 strips), 1 cup saut� sliced white or shiitake mushrooms, and 1 cup chopped tomatoes ove
  • CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, CORN, CHILES, AND JACK
  • Sprinkle 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup frozen corn kernels, 1 cup cooked broccoli florets, two 4.5-ounce cans (drained) chopped green chiles, and 1/2 cup sh
  • HAM, SWISS, AND ASPARAGUS
  • Sprinkle 2 cups grated Swiss cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup blanched asparagus pieces, 1 cup cubed ham, and 1/2 cup caramelized onions (see below) over the egg mixture.
  • FONTINA, SPINACH, SALAMI, AND ROASTED GARLIC
  • Sprinkle 2 cups Fontina cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, 1 cup Italian salami (cut into matchsticks), and 1/2 cup roughly chopped roasted garlic cloves (see below)
  • VEGETABLE-BLUE CHEESE
  • Sprinkle 1 cup crumbled blue cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup cooked cubed celery root, 1 cup saut� sliced zucchini, and 1/2 cup saut� sliced onions over the egg mixture.
  • Caramelized Onions
  • Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saut�an over medium heat. Add 1 large onion, thinly sliced, turn down heat to medium-low, and saut�lowly for 20 minutes, until the
  • Roasted Garlic
  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a square of foil, large enough to make a bundle around however many bulbs of garlic you plan to roast, on a work surface. Cut about 1/4 inch off the top of the garl

Preparation

Step 1

1. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Put the bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle them with the cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Sprinkle the filling ingredients over the egg mixture and fold them in gently. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Uncover the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes, until the mixture has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top, and the strata doesn't shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan. Tent the dish with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve by the spoonful, using a large serving spoon.

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