Cheese and mushroom strata

Name: Cheese and mushroom strata
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h 15 min
Total time: 8 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 227-g pkg sliced cremini mushrooms; 5 thick slices day-old Italian or sandwich bread, cut into 1-in. pieces (about 5 cups); 2 cups grated gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese; 8 eggs; 2 1/2 cups milk; 2 tbsp finely chopped thyme; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1/4 tsp salt

209

Prep Time15 min
Total Time8 h 30 min
Makes6 servings

By Chatelaine

Cheese and mushroom strata. (Photo, Roberto Caruso.)

Never throw out stale bread! Store it in the freezer to make this fabulous dish. It's terrific for a weekend family brunch, and it packs nicely in a lunch box too.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
227-g pkg sliced cremini mushrooms
5 thick slices day-old Italian or sandwich bread, cut into 1-in. pieces (about 5 cups)
2 cups grated gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp finely chopped thyme
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

HEAT a non-stick frying pan over medium- high. Add oil, then mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are soft and liquid has evaporated, 5 to 6 min.
LINE bottom and sides of slow cooker insert with 1 large piece of foil. Lightly spray with oil. Cover bottom of insert with one third of bread. Evenly scatter half of mushrooms over bread. Sprinkle with one third of cheese. Repeat with half of remaining bread, remaining mushrooms and half of remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread.
BEAT eggs with milk, thyme, Dijon and salt in a large bowl. Pour over bread. Season with fresh pepper. Gently press down bread to soak up more egg mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and cook 8 hours on low.
OPEN lid and let stand for 15 min. Use oven mitts to lift the foil holding strata out of the slow cooker. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve with Simple Salad (recipe below).

Simple Salad

Whisk 3 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon and 1/2 tsp honey. Add 6 cups torn lettuce and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes. Toss to coat.

Kitchen note

Our slow cooker recipes are developed with a 7 quart slow cooker.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 191, Protein 14g, Carbohydrates 20g, Fat 5g, Fibre 1g, Sodium 638mg.
Good source of Zinc.

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