Last weekend was really feeling like fall. The mornings were crisp, warming to beautiful afternoons. Not planning on cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year I was speed reading the recipes in the November Sunset Magazine when I stumbled across this interesting mixture of mushrooms, butternut squash and bread pudding. I decided it would be a perfect fall casserole and it was!
I cut this recipe in half and we had plenty for dinner and left overs for the two of us. I also skipped the butter and only used about half the amount of olive oil in place of butter.
Serves 8 to 10
Preparation time about 1 3/4 hours.
3 cups cubed butternut squash, cut in 3/4 inch chunks
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
About 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
3 leeks, white and green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed well
2 garlic cloves minced
3/4 lb. mixed wild mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
6 cups rustic white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes, lightly toasted
3 cups half-and-half
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup gruyere cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heap squash on rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add leeks with 1/4 tsp. salt; cook until softened, add garlic and cook 2 minutes adding mixture to squash.
Melt remaining 2 Tsp butter in same pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring until mushrooms have released their liquid and are beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in thyme.
Add mushrooms to squash-leek mixture. Stir in bread and scoop into buttered 13 x 9 baking dish.
Whisk together half and half, eggs, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, the flour and parmesan in a medium bowl. Pour custard over bread mixture and let stand 10 minutes. Top with gruyere, then bake uncovered, until cheese is melted and beginnig to brown and custard is just set (poke with a knife to check), 30 to 35 minutes.
You can make ahead by mixing and not adding egg mixture. Cover and chill for 1 day; or finsh 1 day ahead and chill.
Per Serving: 329 CAL. 190 from fat. 12 grams protein, 21 grams fat, 24 grams carbs. 508 mg sodium 137 mg cholesterol
From Sunset Magazine
