This savoury fennel & bacon bread & butter pudding is a delicious twist on a classic, combining crispy bacon, caramelised fennel, and creamy Gruyère for a comforting yet elegant dish.
Ingredients
- 5 g butter
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 125 g streaky bacon, chopped
- 80 g red onion, diced
- 180 g fennel bulb, with +-10cm of the stem attached, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 190 g ciabatta
- 115 g butter, at room temperature
- 6 eggs
- 250 ml fresh cream
- 375 ml milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 70 g Gruyère, finely grated
- Micro herbs or fresh basil, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the butter, garlic, bacon and onion, and fry until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the fennel together with the thyme and turn the heat up slightly in order for the fennel to caramelise and turn golden. Fry until the fennel is tender, 10 – 15 minutes. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the chives.
- Cut the ciabatta into thick slices (about 2 cm thick). Butter each slice and cut the bread into bite-size chunks. Add the bread to the fennel mixture and turn it all out into a 25 x 30cm ovenproof dish.
- Whisk the eggs, cream and milk together, and season. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and fennel mixture, and place in the oven.
- Cook for 20 minutes and sprinkle the cheese on top. Place back in the oven until the cheese has melted and the eggs have set.
- Scatter micro herbs or basil on top and serve immediately.
Notes
For a vegetarian alternative, leave out the bacon and replace with fried mushrooms or roasted butternut.
