Mushroom Strata Recipes

OVERNIGHT ASPARAGUS MUSHROOM STRATA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the mushrooms until their liquid has mostly evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside.
• Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, and arrange 8 muffin halves, cut sides up, in the bottom of the dish. Stuff pieces of remaining muffins into the spaces between the halves. Spread 1 cup of Colby-Monterey Jack cheese over the muffins in a layer, and distribute the asparagus pieces, mushrooms, red pepper, and onion over the cheese.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, dry mustard, and black pepper in a bowl, and pour the egg mixture over the muffins and vegetables. Cover the dish, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread 1 cup of Colby-Monterey Jack cheese in a layer over the casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

MUSHROOM AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot margarine or butter over medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Add mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes more or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat.
• In a small mixing bowl combine the mozzarella, fontina, and herbs; toss to mix.
• In a greased 2-quart square baking dish place half of the bread cubes.
• Top with the mushroom mixture, cheese mixture, and prosciutto or Canadian-style bacon.
• Top with the remaining bread cubes.
• In a mixing bowl combine beaten eggs or egg product, milk, sour cream, mustard, and pepper.
• Pour over layers in dish.
• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.
• Bake, uncovered, for 55 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Let stand 10 minutes.
• To serve, cut into squares; garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

MUSHROOM, SAUSAGE AND GRUYERE STRATA

Steps:

• For the strata: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the oyster and shiitake mushrooms and chopped thyme and saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a plate. In the same saucepan, add the sausage and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the plate, leaving the drippings behind for gravy (refrigerate the drippings until ready to make the gravy).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cheese and reserved mushrooms and sausage to the mixture. Mix in the bread cubes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease a bundt pan with oil. Add a little flour to the pan so the strata doesn't stick. Add the strata mixture to the pan and bake until deep golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a plate.
• For the gravy: While the strata is baking, heat the reserved sausage drippings in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and cook until melted. Add the flour and continue to cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth while cooking. Add a pinch of salt and some pepper.
• Serve the strata with the warm gravy and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

CHEESY HAM AND MUSHROOM STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Whisk the half-and-half, Parmesan and eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Swiss cheese, followed by the cooked mushrooms and the ham. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the half-and-half mixture evenly over top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (This can also be assembled the day of; just let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.)
• On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Swiss cheese. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MUSHROOM AND THREE-CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Combine bread and milk in large bowl. Let stand until milk is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk half and half and next 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Stir in goat cheese.
• Place half of bread mixture in single layer in prepared glass baking dish (bread will not cover bottom of baking dish). Top with half each of mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, Fontina cheese, and half and half mixture. Repeat layering with remaining bread, mushrooms, Parmesan and Fontina cheeses, and half and half mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Bake strata uncovered until firm in center, puffed and golden, about 1 hour.

MUSHROOM SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with the sausage, mushrooms and cheeses. , In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients; pour over the cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. , Freeze option: After assembling, cover and freeze strata. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake strata as directed, increasing time as necessary for a knife inserted in the center to come out clean.

CHEESY KALE AND MUSHROOM STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until beginning to dry out but not yet browned, 8-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and reducing heat if needed, until mushrooms are golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Push to one side and melt 1 Tbsp. butter in center of skillet. Add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often and mixing into mushrooms, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add kale by the handful, tossing to wilt slightly after each addition, and cook, tossing often, until all of the kale is mostly wilted, about 4 minutes. Transfer kale mixture to a medium bowl. Let skillet cool slightly, then wipe out and coat with remaining 1 Tbsp. butter.
• Whisk eggs, mustard, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl until no streaks remain, then whisk in milk. Arrange half of bread in skillet. Cover with half of kale mixture, then top with half of Gruyère and half of Parmesan. Top with remaining bread and kale mixture; pour egg mixture over. Press down on strata with a spatula to help bread absorb egg mixture. Scatter remaining Gruyère and Parmesan over.
• Bake strata until golden brown and no liquid seeps out when a knife is inserted into the center, 35-40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Strata can be baked 3 days ahead. Let cool completely; cover and chill.

MUSHROOM, SWISS, & THYME BREAKFAST STRATA WITH OPTIONAL BACON

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and mushrooms until soft, about 5 - 6 minutes. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper until well-beaten.
• Spray an 8-inch x 8-inch x at least 2-inch deep baking pan/casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray (or grease with butter).
• Lay four bread slices on the bottom of the pan.
• Sprinkle bread with 1/2 of the sauteed vegetables.
• Add 1/2 of the cheese.
• Pour half of the egg mixture over the top.
• Add the remaining four slices of bread in a single layer, then the veggies, then the cheese. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight, or for at least three hours.
• In the morning, uncover and bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes, until the strata is set (it will no longer jiggle in the middle).
• Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.

STRATA WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHARD

Steps:

• If the bread is soft, toast it lightly and rub each slice front and back with the cut clove of garlic. Cut in 1-inch dice. If the bread is stale, just rub the slices with garlic and cut them into 1-inch dice. Place in a very large bowl, and toss with 2/3 cup of the milk. Set aside.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup, and cover with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Set a strainer over a bowl, line with cheesecloth, a coffee filter or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all of the broth. Rinse, away from the strainer, in several changes of water to wash off sand. Squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 cup of the mushroom broth, and combine with the remaining milk.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the chard. Stir until the leaves begin to wilt in the liquid left on them after washing. Cover the pan, and let the chard steam until it has completely collapsed, about two minutes. Uncover and stir. When all of the chard has wilted, remove from the pan and rinse briefly with cold water. Press or squeeze out excess liquid. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, turn the heat down to medium and add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the reconstituted mushrooms, the rosemary and the chard. Stir together for a couple of minutes, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, and transfer to the bowl with the bread cubes. Add the cheeses, and toss together. Arrange in the baking dish.
• Beat together the eggs in a medium bowl. Add salt to taste (I use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon), the remaining milk and the mushroom broth. Add a few twists of the peppermill and pour over the bread. Press the bread down into the custard mixture. Sprinkle a little Parmesan over the top, and drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Place in the oven, and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed and browned. Remove from the oven, and serve hot or warm.