Butternut Bread Pudding

Butternut Squash

Bread Pudding

Roasted Butternut squash & parsnips, sautéed onions, French bread in a creamy Dijon mustard Gruyre-Fontina cheese custard with thyme & nutmeg, served with Beurre Blanc sauce.

Ingredients

2 country style French bread loaves (pain de campagne)

Roasted Vegetables

1 cup parsnips, 1 inch dice

1 ½ cups Butternut squash, 1 inch dice

¾ teaspoon fine, sea salt

2 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter

Sautéed Onions

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup small dice, yellow onion

Salt

2 teaspoons freshly minced, garlic

1 teaspoon finely chopped, fresh thyme

Custard

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 1/3 cups half n half

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon fine, sea salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

5 large eggs, whisked

1 1/2-2 tablespoons finely chopped, Italian parsley

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (1 cup)

4 ounces Fontina cheese, grated (1 cup)

Topping

1 1/2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

1 1/2 ounces Fontina cheese, grated

2-3 quart baking dish

Beurre Blanc Sauce

1/3 cup minced, shallot

1/2 cup dry white wine, unoaked

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon heavy cream

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed

Salt

Ground sage (optional)

Lemon wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 300F.

Remove the crusts from loaves using a serrated knife and then tear bread into medium sized pieces. Spread bread out onto a large baking sheet and place in the center of oven. Occasionally turn over the bread pieces and dry out for about 25-30 minutes to remove moisture.

Roasted Vegetables

Preheat oven to 450F.

Add the parsnips and Butternut squash to a mixing bowl, season with the salt, drizzle over the melted butter and toss well. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the vegetables evenly on top. Place in the center of oven and roast until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Sautéed Onions

Add 1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to a sauté pan and heat over medium temperature. Once hot, add the onions a pinch of salt and stir. Cook the onions until translucent and then add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes until garlic is lightly golden in color. Remove from heat and scrape onto the baking sheet with roasted vegetables to let cool.

Custard

Add the eggs to a small mixing bowl and whisk for 1 minuted to incorporate some air. This will help lighten the texture of the pudding.

Add the evaporated milk, half n half, Dijon mustard, seasonings and parsley to a large mixing bowl and whisk well. Add the eggs and whisk. Add the roasted vegetables along with the cheeses and gently mix, being careful not to break apart the butternut squash. Add 8 cups of the dried bread pieces and gently fold into the custard. Let rest 15 minutes and then gently fold again.

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter your casserole dish and spoon in the bread pudding, being careful not to compact. Sprinkle the 3 ounces of topping cheeses evenly over the top and bake until the center reaches 160F, about 30 minutes. Be careful not to overbake or pudding may become dry. Remove from oven and prepare the Beurre Blanc sauce.

Beurre Blanc Sauce

Note: Be very careful to not over heat the sauce or it will separate. Stick your finger in the sauce to feel the temperature in between whisking. The sauce should be warm enough to mount the butter but not hot. If not serving immediately, the sauce can be kept warm over a bain-marie/double boiler but be very sure the water is not too hot, even turn off the burner and remove from heat, whisking often until ready to serve.

Add the shallots, wine and champagne vinegar to a sauce pan over medium heat and simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Strain the reduction, wipe out pan and add back to pan on low heat along with 1 tablespoon of cream. Add a small handful of the cold, cubed butter and whisk vigorously until smooth, repeat until all butter is incorporated. Remove from heat and add a pinch or two of salt. Season with ground sage to-taste, if using, pinch at a time. Serve immediately with warm bread pudding and lemon wedges. If preferred, instead of serving with lemon wedges, squeeze a "little" bit of lemon juice into the finished sauce and whisk, before serving. Serve sauce with a small spoon to drizzle over individual servings.