(Locavore) Bread Pudding with Red Onion, Broccoli, Feta Cheese and Tomato
It would appear as though I've caught the locavore bug. My locavore-blogger friend Hannah took me to a farm last week, and it was a remarkably enjoyable experience. I had never been to a farm in the US before, and as a lifelong urbanite, have limited farm visits under my belt. Nevertheless, it was thoroughly enjoyable. We took the bus to Exeter, where we descended upon Schartner Farms, a gorgeous and amazingly diverse enterprise that supplies a vast array of local fruits and vegetables to businesses in the state. Schartner Farms also sells RI-produced dairy produce, regional culinary fare, and also has a phenomenal nursery with a diverse selection of plants for purchase. Enough babbling for now - you can read more about about Hannah and my visit to the farm here, on Hannah's blog!
Hannah and I returned from the farm stand with an impressive haul of fresh produce, and to make the most of the trip, I decided I was going to prepare my latest recipe as close to 100% locavore-style as possible. As far as I can recall, the tomatoes, onions, broccoli and garlic are all grown at Schartner Farms. The eggs I used were marked 'local' at Whole Foods (with that nifty little "I'm a Local!" stamp on the shelf), and I do trust that they are indeed local, though their exact origin was not revealed to me upon inspection of the box. The bread is locally produced (at Seven Stars Bakery), but its ingredients are not. The herbs are also not local (sorry, Hannah!) - but you can get local herbs, so let's pretend I did!
As for the dish itself, it's a gorgeous alternative to the convention of sweet, sugary bread puddings. It's hearty, and the salty cheese gives it a delightful kick. Minimal seasoning is needed, but the herbs really add character to the dish, so if you have them handy, throw them in! I served this dish to my lovely, seldom-seen-but-much-missed friends Florence and Mia from my boarding school, who came to visit Brown for Thanksgiving, and lent me a helpful hand with the preparation of the dish.
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| Can you believe a while ago this was all just ingredients? |
Serves 4-6 hungry visitors
Ingredients:
½ loaf of stale or day-old bread, torn into very small pieces
(my bread of choice was a wholewheat sourdough, but anything will do!)
1 crown of broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium red onion, chopped finely
1 small tomato, sliced into bite-sized pieces
8oz Narragansett Salty Sea Feta Cheese, sliced into small cubes
4 eggs
2 cups Rhody Fresh Whole Milk
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon oregano
Pepper, to taste
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Disclaimer: Florence rightfully assumes
credit for the tearing of the bread
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, and season with the herbs.
Add the onion, broccoli, garlic and bread and mix together.
Add the cheese and stir gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the eggy mixture.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish and allow to stand for 30 minutes.
Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the mixture is puffed and browned. Bake for an additional 10 minutes if the mixture remains soggy.
Serve to a gaggle of hungry locavores!
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