image credit: lizelle

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. (Can you feel the collective nervousness of the turkeys? That's the feeling of flavor!) And until next Thursday, SFist will post recipes we would love for you to use, if the mood should strike, for your Thanksgiving feast. What's more, some of the recipes will be brought to you by local chefs of note! Hopefully.

First up? This bone-shatteringly savory and fulfilling Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding with Cambazola we poached from Tante Marie Cooking School (The recipe, we should point out, was adapted from a 1998 issue of Fine Cooking.) Your SFist editor has prepared this dish for dinner guests well over a couple dozen times. So will you.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (chanterelle, crimini, shitake, oyster, etc.)
2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram
1/2 cup Madeira wine (fortified red wine; red wine substitution acceptable)
1 1/4 cups beef stock (beef broth substitution acceptable)
1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
9 ounces Italian country bread (e.g., pugliese) cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 6 cups), dried
9 ounces cambozola cheese (rind trimmed), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Remove onions and set aside. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of butter and add half of the mushroom along with 1/2 teaspoon of the marjoram and a sprinkle of salt. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are browned and all liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Set aside with onions. Repeat with remaining mushrooms. When the second batch of mushrooms are cooked, combine all mushrooms and onions in skillet. Add Madeira. Cook over, sirring frequently, over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and mixture is a rich brown, about 5 minutes; cool.

In large bowl, whisk together beef stock, cream, eggs, egg yolks, thyme, and remaining teaspoon of marjoram and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add bread and mushroom mixture; toss. Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to saturate bread. Gently stir in cheese. Pour bread mixture into a baking dish. Bake in 350°F. oven until lightly browned and firm, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Makes 8-10 servings

Editor's tips:

- A blue cheese, like gorgonzola, may be substituted for the cambozola.
- We highly recommend using beef stock, but vegetable stock can be substituted for those of you with restrictive diets.
- Do not add walnuts to this dish. Walnuts will ruin the flavor. Walnuts are disgusting and an easy way out. Please stop putting walnuts in Thanksgiving Day stuffing, people.

Filed in Food and tagged holiday, recipes, thanksgiving

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