Broccoli Blue Cheese Strata Recipes

BROCCOLI STRATA

Steps:

• Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish and large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and carrots; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes. Add broccoli; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Cut bread into large cubes; place in sprayed baking dish. Spoon broccoli mixture over bread. Sprinkle Italian cheese blend evenly over top.
• In medium bowl, combine half-and-half, egg product and garlic-pepper blend; beat until smooth. Pour over broccoli mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Uncover strata; bake 45 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares.

BROCCOLI AND CHEDDAR STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk the half-and-half, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar, followed by the broccoli. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the half-and-half mixture evenly over top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (This can also be assembled the day of; just let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.)
• On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BROCCOLI WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the butter begins to toast the flour, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary and nutmeg and whisk for 15 seconds to toast. Add the milk. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the blue cheese and whisk until melted. Set aside over low heat to keep warm.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of ice water and set aside. Line a tray with paper towels.
• Trim the broccoli stems and break the heads into equal-size florets. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and let cook until bright green and tender but still with a slight resistance when pierced with a knife, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to the ice bath for about 10 seconds just to shock and stop the cooking. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli from the ice bath to the paper towel-lined tray. Give the tray a good shake to get any excess water off the broccoli. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter together with the olive oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the broccoli and toss gently with a wooden spoon or tongs to coat. Cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the broccoli from the heat and ladle the warmed blue cheese sauce over the top. Garnish with the minced Fresno and freshly ground black pepper.

CHEESE AND BROCCOLI STRATA

Steps:

• Layer bread, broccoli, and 1/2 of cheese in a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish.
• Combine eggs, milk, mustard, spice, and salt; pour over the strata.
• Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven, and sprinkle the strata with paprika.
• Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes.
• Add remaining cheese to the top; bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (about 10-15 minutes).
• Allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.