Leek Bread Pudding

I got this recipe from a friend on a recipe list. As I read it, I thought, this has to be very good. Mental note to get the right bread.

I had some leeks in the fridge and knew they would be perfect for this! It was. I served it with pork chops and one of these crocks I made of bread pudding/stuffing served two people.

I halved the recipe except stuck with the 2 cups of leeks. I'm glad I did because they cooked down quite a bit. I also used gruyere cheese instead of the Comte. I'm sure you could use half and half instead of both milk and heavy cream.

Leek Bread Pudding
Recipe By: Ad Hoc At HomePublished in: Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes

2 cups leeks -- 1/2 inch slices (white and very light green parts only)
kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter
black pepper
12 cup brioche or Pullman sandwich loaf in 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
3 large eggs
3 cups milk -- whole
3 cups heavy cream
grated nutmeg
1 cup Comte or Emmentaler -- shredded

Preheat the oven to 350F

Clean the leek rounds well in a bowl of cool water.Set a medium saucepan over medium high heat, Lift the leeks from the water, drain, and add them to the pan. Season with salt and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. As the leeks begin to soften lower the heat to medium low. The leeks will release liquid. Stir in the butter to emulsify, and season with pepper to taste. Cover the pan with parchment lid, and cook, stirring every 10 minutes, until the leeks are very soft, 30 to 35 minutes. If at any point the butter breaks or looks oily, stir in about a tablespoon of water to re-emulsify the sauce. Remove and discard the parchment lid.

Meanwhile spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until dry and pale gold. Transfer to a large bowl. Leave the oven on.

Add the leeks to the bread and toss well, then add the chives and thyme. Lightly whisk the eggs in another large bowl. Whisk in the milk, cream, a generous pinch of salt, pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spread half the leeks and croutons in the pan and sprinkle with another 1/4 cup cheese. Scatter the remaining leeks and croutons over and top with another 1/4 cup cheese. Pour in enough of the custard mixture to cover the bread and press gently on the bread so it soaks in the milk. Let soak for about 15 minutes.

Add the remaining custard, allowing some of the soaked cubes of bread to protrude. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese on top and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the pudding feels set and the top is brown and bubbling.

Recipe Notes
12 as a side dish, 6 to 8 as a main course

Penzeys Spices, The Spice House and a New Platter!

Just wanted to share a quick note regarding Penzeys Spices and The Spice House. If you didn't know the daughter of the Penzey family has her own spice company which is The Spice House.

Recently it was time for another giant order of spices and I thought I would give The Spice House a try. They have very similar ingredients to Penzeys but a few nice changes. I do like their packaging if you buy in the bags. Their packages are much smaller and therefore easier to store. Their glass bottles are also nice. The lids don't have the grippy ridges but are more rounded edged and softer.

One thing I noticed about The Spice House is how they have different blends of seasonings as well. I did try the Chicago Steak Seasoning which has a smokey garlic and is very good. I have a nice collection of new spices now.

There shipping is reasonable although I think a bit more than Penzeys, but then I've always had the "slow shipping method" available through Penzeys.

Both are great companies, family friendly and reliable. They both offer detailed product information and quality products. I like both now, but will say The Spice House was a fun shopping experience!

Le Creuset Platter: In the photo above is my new Le Creuset platter which I LOVE. First, reasonable price from Sur la Table ($49.95 USD) which I think is a great price for a Le Creuset product. Second, it's of the same quality you would expect from Sur la Table. Dishwasher, oven, broiler, freezer, and microwave safe. The oven safe is to 500F which means you can cook and serve on one dish! I selected the Cherry color as I love red but there are 4 beautiful colors to choose from! I don't work for or get paid by Sur la Table but it sure is a happy place to shop!