Spinach and Mushroom Strata

Once again the very talented Nathalie Dupree brings us an easy recipe for a strata {aka an overnight egg casserole} and this one is from her book, Nathalie Dupree’s Comfortable Entertaining.  I collect her cookbooks and have five in all.  Of course, she has many more than that.  This one I found on Amazon and it covers all aspects of entertaining and cooking.  She lists all these quaint tips, ideas and most importantly variations of her recipes throughout the book.  I really feel like I need to plan a few parties as Ms. Dupree suggests in her book.

Well anyway, I am most definitely a fan and I think she is just the bee’s knees {and I don’t throw that phrase around for just any old person.}.

 Begin by melting 4 tbsp of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 1/2 -2 lbs of sliced mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 to 2 lbs baby spinach to the skillet.  Over the pan and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Drain off any liquid and set aside the mushroom-spinach mixture.

Now that you’ve finished the veggies, it’s time to prep the bread and goat cheese.  Cut away the crusts from 10 slices of white bread.  Cut into cubes, although I like a larger “cube,” as you can see from the photo above.  I think it gives a more rustic appeal to the finished strata.

Use a cheese knife to slice a 1/2 lb goat cheese and then crumble using your fingers.  It’s a little messy, but quick to do.

Mix the bread, crumbled goat cheese with the mushroom-spinach mixture in a large bowl.  Try to make sure you incorporate the goat cheese well.

You’re finally ready to get your prepared baking dish.  But first, mix the 9 eggs with 1 tsp of Dijon mustard and 3 cups of milk using a wire whisk.  Add 1/2 tsp of dried tarragon and season the eggs with Kosher salt and black pepper.  Add the bread-vegetable mixture to the baking dish.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over.  It should completely cover it.  Place aluminum foil over the filled baking dish and refrigerate overnight.

Let’s pretend you went to sleep, got eight fabulous (uninterrupted) hours of rest and you’ve just taken your first sip of coffee.  Walk straight over to the oven and set it to 350 degrees.  Pull the strata out of your refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while you wait for the oven to heat up.  Bake the strata covered, for 30 minutes.  Uncover it and bake an additional 30 minutes.

So there you go!  And, here’s the recipe…just in time for Sunday brunch at your house {May I stop by?}…

Spinach and Mushroom Strata

Ingredients

4 tbsp of unsalted butter

1 1/2 to 2 lbs mushrooms, sliced

1 lb fresh baby spinch

10 slices of white bread, crusts removed and cubed

1 1/2 cups goat cheese, crumbled

9 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp Dijon mustard

3 cups milk

1/2 tsp dried tarragon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, tear off the tough stems of the spinach (if there are any).  Wash and add the still damp spinach to the mushrooms.  cover the pan and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.  Strain any liquid.  Set the mushrooms and spinach aside.

Meanwhile, remove the crusts from the bread and cut it into cubes.  Mix the bread, cheese, spinach, and mushrooms in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, mustard, and milk.  Add the tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the egg mixture to the bread-vegetable mixture and combine.  Pour into the prepared baking dish.   Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place baking dish (covered) into pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Serves: 6 to 8

I hope you’ve had a glorious week!  I sure have.  And, I want to especially say “thank you” to all of the new blogging friends I’ve met over the last few weeks.  Wow, what a dynamic group, full of inspiration, crazy talent and dynamic storytelling.

I’ve got some serious catching up to do on their blogs this weekend and I can hardly wait to pour over their posts with a giant cup of French Roast in hand.