You Won't Miss the Turkey With This Savory Squash Pudding

November 17, 2009

Planning an almost meatless feast or vegetarian meal this Thanksgiving? If you were fretting about a main course that can compete with the bird as the star of the supper, you can stop worrying; I've found one for you!

I'm not sure if any entrée can ever be all things to all people, but this savory bread pudding is as close as it gets. It's wholesome, with kale, butternut squash, and shallots, yet at the same time hearty and satisfying. Want to impress herbivores and carnivores alike? Keep reading.

From Bon Appétit

Butternut Squash and Cheddar Bread Pudding

Ingredients

2 pounds peeled seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling
7 large eggs
2 1/4 cups half and half
6 tablespoons dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 day-old baguette (do not remove crust), torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 large)
2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 1 pound), ribs removed, kale coarsely chopped
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; bake until squash is tender, turning with spatula occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.
Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add half and half, wine, mustard, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; whisk to blend. Add baguette pieces; fold gently into egg mixture. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add kale; cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and stir until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes (kale will be a bit crunchy).
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Using slotted spoon, transfer half of bread from egg mixture to prepared baking dish, arranging to cover most of dish. Spoon half of kale over bread. Spoon half of squash over bread and kale; sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, kale, squash, and cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread pudding.
Cover bread pudding with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to touch, about 20 minutes longer.
Preheat broiler; broil pudding until cheese browns slightly, about 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Nutritional information per serving: 526.9 calories, 49.4 calories from fat, 28.9g fat, 12.7g saturated fat, 239.6mg cholesterol, 47.8g carbohydrates, 4.5g dietary fiber, 5.6g total sugars, 43.4g net carbs, 21.0g protein

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6 Comments

CiaoBella 2 years 27 weeks

This looks delicious, gonna try it this weekend for dinner.

3 years 5 weeks

yeah, that's a lot of fat :) but hey it was thankgiving and it was PERFECTLY YUM. my hubbie and i are veggies and had pretty much given up on having any sort of autumnal-feeling t'giving meal...ever...til this recipe came along. it was scrumptuous and was very...seasonal-tasting :) one other thing, though, is that i have also made it, quite successfully, this way: i baked two squashes, halved, cut side down in some olive oil, and then scooped out enough squash to leave a 1/2 to 3/4" margin of squash around the skin. then i chopped the scooped-out stuff and put that into the pudding recipe, and then, after salting and peppering the shells a bit, piled the pudding goo into the shells. i baked that for the time, and in the manner, suggested by the yumsugar recipe. oh my, that was the perfect dish to fill out the turkey portion of the t'giving plate, although we're talkin' lots of food here, cutting each half yet into smaller portions would be a more sane way to go :)