Savoury Bread Pudding

I did a breakfast, all on my own this morning. It was only for six people, and had to be delivered to a friend's house, so it didn't even feel like working. Anyway, I tried a new recipe from the folks at Tall Grass Prairie.

We really love their breads and other food. When we're catering something big and can't make the bread or dessert or whatever on our own, we use their's. Anyway, we've really loved their Savoury Bread Pudding when we've gone to the Forks so when I saw the recipe in a local magazine, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

For once I actually stuck to the recipe. Except I didn't have marjoram and so I used lots of thyme instead. That is about the closest I've stayed to a recipe in years. If I made it for the home crowd, I'd probably try use milk instead of cream. That cholesterol thing, you know?

Apparently the people at the breakfast approved.

Savoury Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS
8 cups chopped vegetables (onions, peppers, mushrooms, celery, zucchini, asparagus, garlic)
1 Tbsp marjoram
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp Grass Roots fresh pressed organic sunflower oil
7 eggs
2 1/2 cups cream
1 cup diced fresh herbs (parsley, basil, rosemary, dill)
12 cups cubed bread
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese

METHOD
1. On a baking sheet, mix vegetables, marjoram, salt, pepper and sunflower oil. Bake in the oven for 10 mins at 500°F and set aside.
2. Whisk together eggs and cream until frothy. Divide in two parts and set one aside.
3. Add bread, fresh herbs and Romano cheese to one part of egg mixture.
4. Lay half of bread mixture into well-greased, 11 x 17" baking dish. Layer with half of roasted vegetables. Add another layer with remaining bread mixture. Add remaining vegetables and top with cheddar cheese.
5. Pour second part of egg mixture over bread pudding and bake at 350°F for 25 mins.
6. Cover baking dish with parchment or lid and continue baking for another 30 mins. Remove savoury bread pudding from oven and serve hot.

Yield 12 servings