By JAMIE LIPHARDT for the Flathead Beacon
The arrival of the Thanksgiving feast is here. It is a much anticipated (or dreaded) day of the year for all the food lovers, food consumers and culinary adventure seekers. But what is better than the beloved full turkey spread on the dining table? Yes, the leftovers. There is something extremely satisfying about repurposing food into something different. Behold the Strata, a dish comprised mainly of eggs, bread and cheese.
If you still have company lingering the day after, this is the perfect breakfast or brunch dish to prepare and serve. It’s extremely quick to put together and so versatile. A large portion of the turkey day leftovers could go into it, or just keep it simple. The only stuffing that I believe does not work with this recipe is a cornbread stuffing. I had a wild mushroom and leek stuffing, so I continued with that flavor profile. You could certainly add bacon or sausage (or turkey!) and additional vegetables and of course, cheese makes everything better.
Ingredients
- 2 cups 2 percent or whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 4-5 cups leftover stuffing
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 leek, pale green and white part only, chopped
- 4 oz. mixed mushrooms, cremini, portabella or just button works too
- 2 Tbs. good quality olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (any cheese works)
- 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt (I like to use smoked sea salt)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13 inch baking dish.
Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan and add garlic, leeks and mushrooms cooking until soft and translucent. Blend eggs and milk together with salt and pepper. Mix leftover stuffing, egg mixture, sauté mixture, cheese and parsley in a large bowl until well combined. Pour into prepared dish top with additional cheese and bake approximately 45 minutes until set in the middle. Can be served hot or at room temperature and should serve 6-8 people
Enjoy!
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Jamie Liphardt is a personal chef with Delicious HomeCooked Food in Bigfork.