Mushroom Bread Pudding with Leeks & Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 oz mixed mushrooms (oyster, pioppino, lions mane, chestnut), roots removed and torn or roughly chopped
• 1 bunch leeks (about 1 lb)
• 1 loaf milk bread, brioche, challah, or sourdough bread (about 10 cups)
• 6 cups half and half (or 3 cups milk and 3 cups heavy cream)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 4-6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Toast the Bread (10 min) Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the crusts from the bread, then cut or tear into 1” chunks; once the oven has come to temp, toast the bread on a baking sheet until golden brown, about 10 minutes depending on your oven. Remove and set aside.
2. Prepare the Leeks (10 min) Remove any tough outer leaves, then slice into 1/4” rings, using only the light green portions. Wash the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating slightly and allowing any sand or sediment to sink to the bottom. Change out the water as needed until leeks are clean. Pat dry on a paper towel and set aside.
3. Cook the Vegetables (10 min) In a hot pan, add 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Sauté the mushrooms to a nice golden brown. Season with some salt and pepper to taste, then remove from the pan. Add another 1 Tbsp butter to the same pan and sauté the leeks with the thyme and a generous pinch of salt, until translucent and very fragrant. Discard the thyme sprigs, then combine with the mushrooms.
4. Combine the Base (5 min) In a large mixing bowl, combine leeks, mushrooms and the toasted bread, and mix well.
5. Make the Custard (5 min) In a separate bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, and half of the chives. Season with about 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.
6. Assemble the Bread Pudding (10 min)
1. Butter a 9x13 casserole dish or cast iron skillet.
2. Layer the ingredients in the dish: Start with 1–2 cups of custard, then add a layer of the bread-mushroom-leek mixture, and sprinkle with goat cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
3. Gently press the mixture down between layers to help the bread absorb the custard.
4. Let rest for 10 minutes before baking. Preheat oven again if you turned it off after toasting the bread.
7. Bake (1 hr) Bake the bread pudding at 350°F until the custard has set — it should be slightly puffed, jiggly in the center, and nicely golden on top — about 1 hour.
8. Garnish & Serve Top with the remaining minced chives and serve.