When I was growing up, Christmas Day always began with a small breakfast. The big meal of the day was around 2 p.m. - long after beautiful wrappings were totally destroyed, the tree was bare beneath and torn paper and shredded ribbons were picked up by the men and kids. The women were in the kitchen cooking the lamb, Lima beans with white sauce, mashed potatoes - a bevy of our favorite dishes.
Fast-forward a decade or two, and I found myself hating to be in the kitchen cooking away on Christmas Day. Instead, I began looking for make-ahead recipes so we could have a Christmas Day brunch. Making dishes ahead allowed me to enjoy my family and play with the kids - and now grandkids. The last thing I want to do on Christmas Day is stand in the kitchen monitoring a hot oven and making sure the gravy has no lumps.
This Christmas strata has become the answer. It's make-ahead easy and filling enough to work as your main dish of the day. Surround it with some curried baked fruit, cheese grits, ham biscuits and any other Christmas side-dish traditions you may have.
If you're unfamiliar with the term, a strata is just a savory bread pudding: stale bread layered with cheese, savory vegetables and traditional breakfast meats like bacon, ham or sausage, all enveloped in a creamy egg custard.
What these concoctions have going for them is that they can be assembled the night before, covered and placed in the refrigerator. The next morning, pull it out and let it sit so that it can get to room temperature while you're drinking your first cup of coffee - and before the kids charge into the room ready to open presents.
This strata is like a complete breakfast - it has your eggs, meat and bread all piled into one place. It's versatile enough to change out the ingredients. Use some smoked gouda rather than sharp cheddar. The gouda works well with country ham rather than sausage. Add some sauteed broccoli and sweet onions rather than green onions. Keep the mushrooms in, or leave them out. There are numerous ways to make it your own - another beautiful angle to this recipe.
Christmas Morning Strata
9 slices firm, home-style white or sourdough bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra to prepare casserole dish
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced
8 ounces mushrooms (your favorite, such as white, Baby Bella, crimini), cleaned and sliced
1 cup sliced green onions, both white and green parts
1 1/2 cups cooked diced ham (or use chopped bacon or crumbled sausage)
2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, Gouda or Swiss cheese, divided
Custard:
8 large eggs
3 cups evaporated milk
Cut the bread into large dice (if you're so inclined, you can cut enough for the top layer into decorative shapes with a cookie cutter). Butter a 9- by 13-inch casserole, and put in half the bread. Put the 2 tablespoons butter and peppers in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and sauté until they're beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and raise the heat to medium-high. Sauté until they're soft, about 3 minutes, then add the green onions and ham, and toss until hot, about a minute. Turn off the heat.
Scatter the ham, peppers, mushrooms and green onions mixture over the bread in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the oregano, and season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sprinkle half of both cheeses evenly over it, and top with the remaining bread.
For the custard: Whisk together the eggs, milk, and remaining oregano, then season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour mixture over the entire casserole, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit until the bread has fully absorbed the custard, at least 30 minutes, but best if refrigerated, covered, overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Uncover the strata, and bake until it's almost set, 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake until golden, 20-25 minutes longer. Let the strata settle for 10 minutes before cutting and serving it.
GIFTS FOR THE TRAVELING FOODIE
Is there someone on your Christmas list who loves to include food tours when they travel? If so, you might consider giving them a gift from Tinggly, an online company that will send your foodie travelers an online gift certificate. Taste the World will let them pick from more than 200 food tours in countries around the world, from pasta tours in Italy to sushi in Japan.
All they have to do is visit the Tinggly redeem page, select the date and the experience, then wait for the confirmation via email. All details of the experience will be there.
That's it. When the day comes, they can enjoy their chosen experience and create beautiful memories for a lifetime and be thanking you for it.
Gift cards are $179 each. Travel and accommodations expenses are extra, of course. Taste the World gives your recipients a curated food experience while they're in their chosen city.
These make wonderful last-minute gifts, or if you order early enough, the gift certificate can be mailed in a lovely gift box in about a week. For more information, visit tinggly.com/collections/taste-the-world.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or annebraly.com.
Anne Braly