SAVORY HAM & CHEESE BREAD PUDDING
This yummy brunch casserole can be put together the night before and placed in the oven a few minutes before your guests arrive. Adding a bit of tomato paste to a classic hollandaise sauce gives it a lovely rosy hue and a nice tangy flavor. Sometimes I top this with some lightly dressed arugula whose peppery notes pair well with the flavors in the casserole.
| PREP: 25 minutes, plus 1 hour to overnight chilling | COOK: about 1 hour | COOL: 15 minutes |
Vegetable oil spray
8 large eggs
1½ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
One 1-pound loaf French bread, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
8 ounces thickly sliced deli Black Forest ham, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 1 cup)
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
TOMATO HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
4 large egg yolks
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) salted butter, melted
2 teaspoons tomato paste, plus more if needed
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground white pepper
1. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream until well blended. Whisk in the thyme, garlic, salt, mustard, paprika, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Trim the crusts from the bread. Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with the bread, cutting the slices as needed to fit. Top evenly with the chopped ham and Cheddar. Cover with the rest of the bread, again cutting the slices to fit.
4. Pour the egg mixture slowly and evenly over the bread, letting it seep down between the slices. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Press gently from time to time to help the bread absorb the liquid.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Bake until deep golden on the top and just set and a knife inserted in the center comes out moist but not wet, about 50 minutes. Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
8. While the pudding is baking, make the tomato hollandaise sauce: In a medium stainless-steel bowl or the top of a double boiler, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water. Nest the bowl over a pot of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water) and whisk the mixture until the egg yolks thicken and double in volume, 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Whisking constantly, add the butter in a slow, steady stream. The sauce will thicken and increase in volume. Add the 2 teaspoons tomato paste, the cayenne, and white pepper. Stir in more tomato paste as desired for deeper flavor and color.
10. Taste and add more lemon juice if needed.
11. Serve the pudding topped with a spoonful of the tomato hollandaise sauce.
12. The casserole is best served the day it is made. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Makes 8 servings