Cheese Mushroom Bread Pudding
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 ¼ cup yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 medium onions)
- Salt and pepper
- ¾ lb. cleaned mushrooms (fresh)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ cup whole milk
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- 8 ea. ½” thick slices of soft white bread, cut into ½” cubes (about 7 cups)
- 1 cup grated Gruyere of Comte cheese
- ¼ cup crème fraiche
- Grease the inside of a 9x7” baking dish with 1 tbsp butter
- In a 12” skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the onions and season lightly with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook until ovens are evenly browned, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and return skillet to stove.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. In the skillet, add the remaining butter and heat over medium-high. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and become tender, 10-12 minutes. Stir in the thyme leaves and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until almost completely evaporated, 2-4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and return the caramelized onions to the pan. Add the crème fraiche and stir well to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, milk, nutmeg and cayenne; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the bread cubes, mushroom mixture and 2/3 cup of the cheese, stirring gently to combine.
- Transfer the bread pudding to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
- Bake, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the pudding is set in the center and slightly puffed, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.
- Adapted from Saveur Magazine
