Make-Ahead Bacon and Kale Strata

Bacon and Kale Strata
Mark Boughton/styling: Teresa Blackburn
https://easykitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/bacon-and-kale-strata_1-150x150.jpg
  • Yield: 10 servings
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 60 mins

Assemble the strata the night before and pop in the oven in the morning. The Schaffers like to use a rich egg bread like challah or brioche, but any artisan white bread will work, such as French or ciabatta.

Ingredients

8slices smoked bacon, diced
2 leeks (white part only), chopped
3cloves garlic, minced
1pound kale, chard, greens or spinach, cut into thin strips
1cup chopped dates
1teaspoon sea salt
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3cups half-and-half
12large eggs
8cups challah bread or brioche cubes
1/2cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Instructions

  1. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a large skillet, sauté bacon and leeks until bacon is crisp and leeks are tender, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, kale, dates, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook until kale is wilted. (You may need to add the kale in batches.)
  3. Combine half-and-half and eggs in a large bowl. Beat until blended. Stir in bread cubes, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, rosemary and 1 cup Gruyère. Add vegetable mixture and stir well.
  4. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 375F.
  6. Remove strata from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Top with remaining ½ cup Gruyère.
  7. Bake 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of the strata comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Chefs Kathleen and Charlie Schaffer.

Nutritional Info *per serving

  • Glycemic Load 9
  • Calories 460
  • Fat 25g
  • Saturated Fat 12g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g
  • Monounsaturated Fat 8g
  • Cholesterol 280mg
  • Sodium 780mg
  • Potassium 600mg
  • Carbohydrate 38g
  • Fiber 3g
  • Sugars 14g
  • Protein 23g
  • Trans Fat 0g
  • Vitamin A 160%
  • Vitamin C 100%
  • Calcium 45%
  • Iron 20%