Savory Spinach and Mushroom Bread Pudding

Possible Cooking Methods:   Stovetop and Oven

This recipe cheats just a little bit from my one-pot rule – for the tastiest result, you need to toast the bread cubes and for that step, you’ll need a baking sheet or your air fryer. I hope you forgive me. I’m confident that you will after you taste this delicious savory pudding. Try to get a great loaf of bread for this recipe since it is the main ingredient. I really prefer rustic levain or sourdough bread, one that is not sliced so you can cut it into the cube size you want. You need bread that can hold its own with the flavors of the mushroom and Gruyère cheese, so if you can’t find a levain loaf, go with a multi-grain loaf that you can slice yourself.

1½ pounds rustic levain or sourdough bread, cut into 1½- to 2-inch cubes

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large onions, sliced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

8 ounces spinach

½ cup white wine or dry vermouth

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1½ cups grated Gruyère cheese (4 ounces)

4 to 5 cups vegetable stock

Stovetop and Oven Directions

Serves:4

Cooking Time:1 hour 15 minutes

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

2. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and a good sprinkling of salt and toast on a baking sheet until nicely browned and crispy – about 15 minutes. Set the bread cubes aside.

3. Pre-heat a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, onions, oregano and thyme and cook the onions over medium to medium-low heat for 25 minutes or so (stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot) until the onions have browned and caramelized. Season the onions with salt and freshly ground black pepper, remove the onions from the pot and set aside.

4. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned and tender – about 6 minutes. Add the spinach and let it wilt into the mushrooms. Deglaze the pot with the white wine and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer until the wine has almost evaporated. Then, remove the spinach and mushrooms from the pot and set them aside with the onions, mixing all the vegetables together.

5. Combine the cheeses together in a bowl.

6. Build the bread pudding by layering the ingredients back into the Dutch oven: a third of the vegetables, a third of the bread cubes, a third of the cheese. Create three layers like this, ending with a layer of cheese. Pour the vegetable stock over the entire pudding, letting the bread cubes soak up as much of the stock as they can. If necessary, wait for the bread to soak up the liquid and then add more. Push down on the bread cubes slightly to help them absorb the liquid. Cover with a lid and transfer the pot to the oven.

7. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, until the top is nicely browned and the edges of the bread are crispy. Remove and let the pudding cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving with a lightly dressed mixed green salad and a glass of wine.