Description
This hearty Kale and Mushroom Strata is a delicious, savory breakfast or brunch casserole featuring sautéed wild mushrooms, tender dinosaur kale, and a blend of Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses baked with cubed bread soaked in a rich egg and cream custard. Toasting the bread ensures the strata has the perfect texture, while the slow baking yields a golden, comforting dish ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables and Bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion or shallot, sliced
- 16 ounces wild mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 16 ounces dinosaur kale, stemmed and cut into pieces
- 8 cups cubed bread, cut or torn into 1 inch pieces
Cheeses
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Custard
- 10 eggs
- 2.5 cups half and half, heavy cream, or milk
Instructions
- Toast the Bread: Preheat your oven and toast the cubed bread for 10-15 minutes until dried out. This step helps prevent the bread from becoming soggy in the strata.
- Sauté Onions and Mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes.
- Cook the Kale: Add the dinosaur kale to the onion and mushroom mixture. Season again and cook, stirring until the kale wilts, about 4-6 minutes. Cover with a lid to speed wilting and add more oil if necessary.
- Combine Custard and Bread: In a large bowl, place the toasted bread cubes. Whisk together eggs, half and half (or cream/milk), Gruyere, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Pour this custard mixture over the bread, then fold in the sautéed vegetable mixture ensuring even distribution.
- Refrigerate the Mixture: Transfer the combined strata mixture into a covered Dutch oven or baking dish. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours to let the flavors meld and the bread absorb the custard.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) for baking the strata.
- Bake the Strata: Remove the lid from the baking dish and bake for 45-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is cooked through. If it browns too quickly, cover with the lid to prevent burning. Once baked, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Using stale or toasted bread helps achieve the perfect texture without sogginess.
- You can substitute half and half with heavy cream or whole milk depending on desired richness.
- For more flavor variation, try adding fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to the vegetable sauté.
- This strata can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight, making it great for meal prep.
- Use a Dutch oven or any ovenproof baking dish with a lid for best results during refrigeration and baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 210mg
