Savory Bread Pudding

All the goodness of a gooey bread pudding combined with savory ingredients makes this little side dish the talk of the town. Lots of restaurants are introducing it in their menus; a twist on the old sweet bread pudding that we are all familiar with. Ditch the sugar, hold the cinnamon and substitute the rum sauce for gravy. We are talking comfort food that makes you feel good all over. This recipe can be altered to produce a dish that your entire family will love. If you don’t care for ham, use bacon or sausage. Can’t stand mushrooms? …Then, sauté squash or onions. Do you want to add olives or sundried tomatoes? Be my guest. This could be your signature dish, one that people want you to bring to all the social gatherings.

Speaking of get-togethers, you can assemble the pudding a day in advance, and all you have to do is bake in a preheated oven an hour before serving. Spend more time with your guests with this worry-free satisfying dish.  Not only does it save you time, it is also a very frugal menu item. Old bread is no longer exclusively used to feed the ducks on the pond. Leftovers such as roast beef, and vegetables from last night’s dinner can be easily incorporated in this recipe.

Get creative and experiment with a savory bread pudding; you could be the next Pillsbury’s contest winner.

Savory Bread Pudding

2 tbsp. butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ c. dry white wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup chopped ham

2 cups cubed day-old French bread
½ c. grated cheddar cheese

For the custard:
5 large eggs
½ tsp. salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 c. whole milk
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
2/3 c. grated cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft, 6-8 minutes. Add ham and wine and cook, stirring sporadically, until most of the wine evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 375º.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and salt until well blended. Add the cream of mushroom, milk, pepper, cheese, and ham, and mix well. 

Place the bread chunks in a large bowl and add custard.

Combine with sautéed mushrooms and ham and mix well. Pour in individual ramekins. Sprinkle evenly with the grated cheese. Let stand 8-10 minutes until the custard saturates the bread.

Bake until the custard is no longer runny in the center, about 50 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.