Mushroom bread pudding.

A Creole recipe from Emeril Lagasse with British antecedents should not surprise anyone. It would not surprise John Folse, the chef, cook, teacher and culinary historian of Louisiana who counts England among the sources of his state’s cuisine. This dish is wonderful with any roast meat or bird, or on its own as a light (-ish, this is Lagasse) supper with a salad. About six servings.

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter and more for greasing an oven dish
• about 1½ cups thinly sliced celery
• about 2 cups thinly sliced sweet onion (like Vidalia)
• salt and pepper
• heaped ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• about 2 cups chopped assorted mushrooms (whatever you can find)
• a minced shallot
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• hot sauce
• Worcestershire
• about 4 cups good bread cut into 1 inch cubes
• about ½ cup good sharp Cheddar or other hard English style cheese

Preheat the oven to 350˚.

1. Grease an oven pan or deep ceramic pie plate with a generous smear of butter.
2. Melt the 2 Tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then toss the celery and onion into the pan with the cayenne and some salt and pepper.
3. Cook until the vegetables soften, usually in about 10 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms to cook until they soften, usually in a little more than 5 or 6 minutes.
5. Add the shallot and continue to cook the mixture for about a minute or so.
6. Let the mixture cool.
7. Whisk the eggs in a bowl big enough to hold the bread, then whisk in the cream with some hot sauce and Worcestershire. Fold the cooled vegetables and bread into the custard to blend everything then dump it in the greased oven pan.
8. Blanket the pudding with the cheese and bake it until pale brown and bubbling, usually for about 50 minutes.
9. Let the pudding stand to gel for 10 minutes.

Notes:

-Lagasse omits the celery and removes the crust from his bread, but why? The celery and crusts both enliven the texture of the pudding.

-He also uses Parmesan instead of Cheddar. Your choice.

-We have otherwise tweaked the original by changing the proportions of butter, mushrooms and eggs.

-Do not overcook the pudding or it will become vulcanized; check the center with a toothpick or broomstrand after 35 to 40 minutes just in case. If the implement comes out clean yank the pudding.

-If you like firmer mushrooms, sear them first in some neutral oil over high heast until they acquire brown stripes.

-There is no need to deprive yourself of this pudding if the only mushrooms available are cultivated buttons.