Savory Bread Pudding with Chicken and Goat Cheese
Bread pudding is not always sweet! In fact, I much prefer the savory type. Bread with fats and tasty meats and seasonings all in one dish—there’s nothing more indulgent. As I mention in my book, Fuck Portion Control, common wheat is one of the major causes of metabolic illnesses we suffer, things like obesity, insomnia, depression, and even cancer can all be rooted in a poor diet which contains things like common wheat, the gluten in which is nearly impossible for us to digest. But bread can be extremely helpful to our health if it is made right and with easy to digest heirloom grains, in part because the yeasts used to make real bread synthesize a unique form of niacin which is the same kind our bodies make internally which can’t be found from any other food source, and for this reason real bread (not that crap from your common grocery store which is raised with chemicals) is extremely satiating and can help improve nutrition while also lowering your food bill. This recipe uses leftover bread from my sourdough spelt bread recipe—but any bread made from heirloom grains is great—just leave it out to dry for a few hours beforehand. Bread puddings are meant to use up leftover bread that is too stale and old to eat otherwise, and it doesn’t matter what else you put in as long as it’s founded on bread, a liquid such as broth or cream, and eggs. You can add any other ingredients and spices you like, such as beef with tomatoes and paprika, or just use your favorite cheese instead of meat.
SAVORY BREAD PUTTING WITH CHICKEN AND GOAT CHEESE
Leftover Bread, about 3 or 4 Cups in large chunks, dried
2 Cups Chicken, cooked, cubed.
2 or 3 Cups Chicken Broth depending on amount of bread
4 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Cream
4 oz Goat Cheese broken into large crumbles.
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Cut leftover bread into 3/4 inch cubes and allow to dry out. Preheat oven to 350˚ F (177˚ C). Fry chicken until almost done but not fully cooked, remove from heat and cube. In a large bowl add eggs, cream, broth, and salt, then beat until combined. Add bread, chicken, and goat cheese crumbles to liquid and stir gently until all is coated and soaked. Turn out mixture into a large soufflé or casserole dish and bake for about 40 minutes until top is browned and crispy.