Savory Lobster Bread Puddings With Vanilla Chive Sauce Recipes

MUSHROOM AND LEEK BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes, until starting to brown. Stir in the leeks and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the leeks are tender. Stir in the mushrooms, tarragon, sherry, 1 tablespoon salt and 11/2 teaspoons pepper and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, stir in the parsley.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, chicken stock and 1 cup of the Gruyere. Add the bread cubes and mushroom mixture, stirring well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid. Stir well and pour into a 2 1/2-to-3-quart gratin dish (13 x 9 x 2 inches). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the custard is set. Serve hot.

SAVORY LOBSTER BREAD PUDDINGS WITH VANILLA CHIVE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make bread pudding:
• Fill an 8-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobster headfirst into boiling water and simmer, covered, 8 minutes. Immediately transfer lobster with tongs to a large bowl and cool.
• When lobster is cool enough to handle, remove meat in the following manner, reserving shells and body: Break off claws at body of lobster. Crack claws and remove meat. Twist tail off lobster body and with kitchen shears cut thin hard membrane on underside of tail to remove meat. Chop tail and claw meat and chill, covered, for bread pudding. Discard head sac from lobster body. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears chop or cut lobster body and reserved shells into pieces and chill, covered, for sauce.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Cut enough of brioches into 1/4-inch dice to measure 2 packed cups and spread in one layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake brioche in middle of oven until dry but not golden, about 12 minutes. Finely chop white part of leek. Trim cremini stems flush with caps and discard shiitake stems. Cut cremini and shiitake caps into 1/4-inch dice.
• In a 9-inch heavy skillet cook leek in oil, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until tender and any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Remove skillet from heat and add brandy. Carefully ignite brandy and cook over moderately high heat, shaking skillet, until flames die out. Continue to cook mixture, stirring, until any remaining liquid is evaporated and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in lobster meat.
• In a large bowl whisk together yolks, egg, cream, cayenne, and salt to taste and gently stir in brioche croutons and lobster mixture. Chill bread pudding, covered, until brioche is soaked with custard, 2 to 3 hours. Bread pudding may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Make sauce while bread pudding is chilling:
• Finely chop carrot, celery, and white part of leek separately. In a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan cook leek in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until celery is slightly softened. Add lobster shells and body and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in tarragon. Remove pan from heat and add brandy. Carefully ignite brandy and boil mixture, shaking pan, until flames die out and brandy is evaporated. Add wine and water and simmer mixture, uncovered, l hour.
• With a knife halve vanilla bean lengthwise. Pour lobster stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing hard on solids, and transfer liquid to cleaned pan. Boil stock until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Stir in tomato purée and bring to a boil. Stir in vanilla bean and cream and simmer sauce until reduced to about 1 cup. Season sauce with salt and pour through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Chill sauce, covered, while baking puddings. Sauce may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. and butter four 1-cup ramekins (4 by 2 inches).
• Divide bread pudding among ramekins and arrange in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to reach one third up sides of ramekins and tent roasting pan with foil. Bake puddings in middle of oven 45 minutes. Carefully remove foil and bake puddings until a knife inserted in centers comes out clean, 15 to 25 minutes more. Remove ramekins from roasting pan and let puddings stand 5 minutes. Reheat sauce over moderate heat until hot and add chives.
• Run a thin knife around edge of each pudding and invert a plate over each ramekin. Invert puddings onto plates and turn right side up.
• Serve puddings with sauce.

SAVORY ROSEMARY BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan, and cook onion and rosemary in oil until onion is soft.
• Toss bread cubes with olive oil and onions. Exact measurement of bread is not necessary. Place in a well oiled, deep sided, 9 inch square pan. Toss with 1/2 cheese, and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
• Beat together milk, cream, and eggs. Pour over bread in pan. It is fine that the bread sticks out of the custard.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until browned and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean (except for melted cheese).

BEST BREAD PUDDING WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk 3 eggs, white sugar, 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 cup of butter, and 3 cups of whole milk together, and gently stir in the bread cubes and raisins. Lightly spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and set in the middle, 50 to 55 minutes; cover the dish with foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let the pudding stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• For vanilla sauce, whisk 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, the flour, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 1/4 cups of whole milk,and salt together in a heavy saucepan until smooth. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour sauce over warm bread pudding, or serve on the side in a bowl.