BRUNCH TIME - Spinach Gruyere Strata with sautéed tomatoes

This is another great recipe from Bobby Flay's "Brunch at Bobby's". Perfect for a Saturday Brunch with friends. Don't forget to serve it with the tomato sauce as that gave it some very fresh flavors. We served the strata with some mini german pancakes as dessert and citronata (orange soda with Aperol and French aperitif wine) as a drink.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups French bread (day old) - cubed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large Spanish onion
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• salt, pepper
• 1 box (10oz) frozen spinach (thawed and seasoned with salt, pepper)
• 10 eggs
• 2 cups aged gruyere cheese - grated
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 2 tablespoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme - chopped
• 1/8 tablespoon nutmeg

Sautéed cherry tomato sauce

• 3 tablespoon oil
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes - quartered
• salt, pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives - sliced

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Put the bread cubes on a baking pan and toast in the oven for about 10 min until lightly golden brown on both side. Check after 5 minutes and flip the cubes around. You can also put the cubes under the broiler for a few minutes if available, but keep an eye on them. Take out, set aside and let cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. In the meantime, heat oil and butter in a pan, add onion and toss in the oil, add sugar, salt and pepper. Sauté the onions on low heat until golden brown and caramelized, for about 30min. Stir occasionally.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cubes, onions, thawed spinach. Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper as the spinach is a little flavor less. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, add 1 1/2cups of the cheese, milk, cream, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg. 
4. Butter a baking dish (9-13 inches), add the brad cubes, pour the egg mixture over the bread and press cubes down till they are completely submerged.
5. Let the strata bake for about 1h at 350 degree F. until the top is golden brown and the liquid has set completely. Then add the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of it and let bake for another 10 minutes. Take out and let cool for a few minutes.
6. While the strata is cooling, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat the oil, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and let cook for a few minutes till they are soft and slightly burst. Remove from heat and add the chives. Sever with the strata.

Print this recipe: