Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (254 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Many recipes for this savory bread pudding are soggy and laden with excessive custard and ingredients, rendering this simple casserole an overindulgence in both preparation and consumption. Looking for a savory breakfast casserole that was simple, with just enough richness to satisfy, we started with the bread. Whole dried bread slices had the best texture and appearance, and buttering them added richness. We carefully selected a few complementary ingredients for the filling, then sautéed them to remove excess moisture and prevent the casserole from becoming waterlogged. Weighing the strata down overnight improved its texture, and we could bake it the following morning for a perfect make-ahead breakfast.
See “ASSEMBLING BREAKFAST STRATA” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 6
We prefer to use medium red potatoes, measuring 2 to 3 inches in diameter, in this recipe. To weigh down the assembled strata, use two 1-pound boxes of sugar. To double this recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish greased with 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons butter and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
8–10 | (¹⁄ |
5 | tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
12 | ounces red potatoes, cut into ¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper | |
3 | shallots, minced |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons minced fresh rosemary |
¹⁄ | cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc |
6 | ounces fontina cheese, shredded (1¹⁄ |
6 | large eggs |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1³⁄ | cups half-and-half |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through baking. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
2.
Bring 1 quart water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and boil potatoes until just tender when pierced with paring knife, about 4 minutes. Drain potatoes.
3.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to ¹⁄
4
cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
4.
Grease 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and arrange half of bread slices, buttered side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of potato mixture, then ¹⁄
2
cup fontina evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining potato mixture and another ¹⁄
2
cup fontina evenly over bread. Whisk eggs and parsley together in medium bowl; add reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and whisk until combined. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers and cover strata tightly with plastic wrap, pressing wrap against surface of strata. Weigh strata down and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
5.
Remove strata from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining ¹⁄
2
cup fontina evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.
To double this recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish greased with 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons butter and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
8–10 | (¹⁄ |
3 | tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
8 | ounces breakfast sausage, crumbled |
3 | shallots, minced |
8 | ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc |
6 | ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1¹⁄ |
6 | large eggs |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1³⁄ | cups half-and-half |
Follow recipe for Breakfast Strata with Potatoes, Rosemary, and Fontina through step 1. Cook sausage in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking sausage apart with wooden spoon, until sausage has lost raw color and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms no longer release liquid, about 6 minutes; transfer mixture to medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce wine as directed in step 3. Proceed as directed in step 4, substituting sausage mixture for potatoes and Monterey Jack for fontina.
To double this recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish greased with 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons butter and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
8–10 | (¹⁄ |
5 | tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
4 | shallots, minced |
10 | ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc |
6 | ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1¹⁄ |
6 | large eggs |
1³⁄ | cups half-and-half |
Follow recipe for Breakfast Strata with Potatoes, Rosemary, and Fontina through step 1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is warm, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Reduce wine as directed in step 3. Proceed as directed in step 4, omitting parsley and substituting spinach mixture for potatoes and Gruyère for fontina.
1.
Layer bread and filling in 8-inch square baking dish.
2.
Pour custard mixture evenly over assembled layers.
3.
Cover surface flush with plastic wrap and weigh down strata.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
French toast just isn’t worth the trouble if the result is soggy, too eggy, or just plain bland. We first found out which type of bread fared best in a typical batter. Hearty white sandwich bread, dried in a low oven, produced French toast that was crisp on the outside and velvety on the inside, with no trace of sogginess. However, the toast still tasted more like scrambled eggs. Cutting the egg whites and adding melted butter to the soaking liquid made a huge difference, turning the toast rich and custardlike. For a final touch, we flavored the toast with cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar.
SERVES 4
To prevent the butter from clumping during mixing, warm the milk in a microwave or small saucepan until warm to the touch (about 80 degrees). The French toast can be cooked all at once on an electric griddle, but may take an extra 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set the griddle temperature to 350 degrees and use the entire amount of butter (4 tablespoons) for cooking. Serve with warm maple syrup.
8 | large slices hearty white sandwich bread or challah |
1¹⁄ | cups whole milk, warmed |
3 | large egg yolks |
3 | tablespoons packed light brown sugar |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons melted |
1 | tablespoon vanilla extract |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. Remove bread from rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees.
2.
Whisk milk, egg yolks, sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
3.
Soak bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, 20 seconds per side. Using firm slotted spatula, pick up 1 bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter.
4.
Melt ¹⁄
2
tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Using slotted spatula, transfer 2 slices soaked bread to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding ¹⁄
2
tablespoon of butter for each batch. Serve warm.
Process 1 slice hearty white sandwich bread or challah, torn into 1-inch pieces, 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon ground cinnamon in food processor until finely ground, 8 to 12 pulses (you should have about ¹⁄
2
cup). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread-crumb mixture over 1 side of each slice of soaked bread. Cook as directed in step 4, starting with crumb mixture side down.
Process ¹⁄
2
cup slivered almonds and 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar in food processor until coarsely ground, 12 to 15 pulses (you should have about ¹⁄
2
cup). Add 1 tablespoon triple sec and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest to milk mixture in step 2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon nut mixture over 1 side of each slice of soaked bread. Cook as directed in step 4, starting with nut mixture side down.
Substitute 8 large slices cinnamon-raisin bread for hearty white sandwich bread. Process ¹⁄
2
cup pecans, 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon ground cinnamon in food processor until coarsely ground, 12 to 15 pulses (you should have about ¹⁄
2
cup). Add 2 teaspoons dark rum to milk mixture in step 2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon nut mixture over 1 side of each slice of soaked bread. Cook as directed in step 4, starting with nut mixture side down.
