Leek Brie Strata Recipes

BRIE-LEEK TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute leek in butter until tender. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Place tart shells on a baking sheet. Slice cheese into 15 pieces; place 1 piece in each tart shell. Top each with 1-1/2 teaspoons leek mixture. , Bake at 350° until heated through, 6-8 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley. Refrigerate leftovers.

HAM & BRIE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion; cook and stir until mushrooms are golden brown and onion is tender, 5-7 minutes. Add spinach and garlic; cook until spinach is wilted, 1-2 minutes longer., Transfer mushroom mixture to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Add bread, ham and cheese., In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over bread. Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving., Make-Ahead: Refrigerate unbaked strata, covered, several hours or overnight. To use, preheat oven to 375°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, as directed.

SAVORY STRATA

Steps:

• Whisk together milk, eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, Tabasco and nutmeg. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add leeks, and toss to coat with oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until leeks are soft. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cool.
• Mix together ricotta, Parmesan, pepper and herbs. Stir in the cooled leeks.
• Grease a roasting pan 9 by 12 by 2 1/2 inches with 1 teaspoon butter. Lay 6 slices of bread in the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the ricotta-leek mixture. Repeat with a second layer. Place the last layer of bread in the pan, and spread the top with the softened butter.
• Pour the custard over the bread, gently pressing top slices into the mixture. Place on a cookie sheet, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic, and sprinkle the top with the cheese. Place in a larger pan, and put on the middle rack of oven. Fill the larger pan with boiling water to come up about halfway on the smaller pan. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until puffy and brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

CHIVE AND BRIE STRATA

Steps:

• Generously butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Place bread in very large bowl. Pour 4 cups milk over. Let bread soak until soft, about 10 minutes. Squeeze bread slices over same bowl, extracting as much milk as possible. Transfer bread to medium bowl. Transfer milk from bowl to 2-cup measuring cup. If necessary, add more milk to equal 1 1/3 cups total. Return milk to very large bowl. Add eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to milk; whisk to blend well.
• Arrange 1/4 of bread in each prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chives over each. Sprinkle each with 1/4 of Brie cheese, then 2 tablespoons parsley and 2 tablespoons tarragon. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons Swiss cheese over each. Top each with half of remaining bread. Pour half of milk-egg mixture over each. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chives, 1/4 of Brie, 2 tablespoons parsley and 2 tablespoons tarragon over each. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons Swiss cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese over each. Dot each with 1 tablespoon butter. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake puddings uncovered until puffed and deep golden brown on top, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

MUSHROOM AND THREE-CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool.
• Combine bread and milk in large bowl. Let stand until milk is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk half and half and next 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Stir in goat cheese.
• Place half of bread mixture in single layer in prepared glass baking dish (bread will not cover bottom of baking dish). Top with half each of mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, Fontina cheese, and half and half mixture. Repeat layering with remaining bread, mushrooms, Parmesan and Fontina cheeses, and half and half mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Bake strata uncovered until firm in center, puffed and golden, about 1 hour.

ELEGANT SMOKED SALMON STRATA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with butter and oil; transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses, onions and salmon. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper; pour over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with creme fraiche and chives.

TURKEY LEEK STRATA

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook leeks in butter about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened; remove from heat.
• Mix bread cubes, leeks, turkey and dill weed. Spread bread mixture in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Sprinkle with cheese. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over cheese. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Uncover and bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

LEEK & BRIE STRATA

Steps:

• 1. Trim off the darkest green tops of the leeks. Peel off and discard wilted or discolored leaves. Halve or quarter the leeks lengthwise, then rinse under cold running water. Place in a bowl and fill with cold water. Repeat process at least twice to remove any sand from between the layers; drain and pat dry. Cut into thin slices. You should have about 4 cups. 2. Lightly coat a 2 ½-quart baking dish with some of the butter and set aside. Melt remaining butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper; set aside to cool. 3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Whisk in milk until blended, then whisk in Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper. Spread half of bread cubes in the bottom of prepared pan. Spoon leeks evenly over the top, followed by dried tomatoes and then the pieces of Brie. Spread remaining bread over cheese. Pour egg mixture over top, pressing lightly to moisten bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 4. Remove strata from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, on center oven rack 45 minutes or until puffed, browned and cooked in the center. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.