Mushroom & Comté Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 250g sourdough, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 400g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, oyster, shiitake)
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs thyme
• butter
• olive oil
• 120g Comté, grated
• 3 eggs
• 250ml whole milk
• 100ml double cream
• Dijon mustard (1 tsp)
• Salt & black pepper
• Small handful parsley, or, if the shop is out of stock like it was for me, chive.

Method

1. Crisp the bread

Toast the sourdough in a 180°C oven for 10 minutes.

You want it dry rather than crunchy.

2. Cook the mushrooms

Slice the mushrooms.

Cook them in a little olive oil and butter over a fairly high heat.

I like to add a small amount of water and salt once they're cooking to draw out their moisture.

Once they've taken on some colour add:

• shallots
• garlic
• thyme

Cook until everything is soft and smelling amazing.

Season well.

3. Make the custard

Whisk together:

• eggs
• milk
• cream
• Dijon
• half the Comté
• black pepper

4. Assemble

Mix together:

• toasted bread
• mushroom mixture
• remaining Comté

Pour over the custard.

Leave it for 15 minutes so the bread absorbs everything.

5. Bake

Bake at 180°C for around 35–40 minutes.

It should be golden on top and just set in the middle.

Finish with chive (parsley) and another little grating of Comté.