A Sunday morning feels like the perfect time to enjoy a leisurely brunch.
Donna Wadsworth of Savoury City Catering shows how to make a spring vegetable strata and build your own lox board so you can host an easy but delicious brunch at home.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of asparagus, trimmed
2 cups arugula, cut into wide ribbons
3 tbsp unsalted butter + butter for greasing the pan
6 leeks (whites only), finely cut and soaked in water to clean
400g nice bread cut into 1” cubes (nothing too crusty)
1 ½ cups grated sharp cheese (Comte or other cave-aged gruyère)
½ cup grated Grana Padano parmesan
9 large eggs
2 ½ cups whipping cream
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 ¾ tsp diamond crystal salt
¾ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp nutmeg
Method
The night before:
1. Beat the eggs with cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Allow to rest while you continue with the recipe.
2. Drain and wring out the leeks, sauté them in 3 tbsp butter until very soft. Add the arugula and sauté until wilted. Remove from heat.
3. Butter a 9” x 13” casserole dish, spread a third of the bread cubes on the bottom of the buttered dish and top with a third of the leeks and a loose layer of asparagus. Top with a third of each cheese.
4. Repeat for two more layers with the final layer being cheese.
5. Pour the custard (egg and cream) mix slowly and evenly over the entire dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
The morning of:
6. Preheat oven to 325F. Bake the strata uncovered for 70-80 minutes until the egg is set. Strata should be puffed and nicely golden brown on top. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes before serving.