Cooking Class with Chef Ivan Flowers – Lesson 56 Strata

The last lesson was all about the cheesy goodness we call fondue. I truly hope you all had lots of fun experimenting with (and eating) this classic dish. This week I have Mother’s Day on my mind. As any of you that have taken your Mom out to brunch know, restaurants are packed, loud and far from relaxing. This year, why not treat your mom, or yourself, to brunch at home and make a delicious strata. A strata is similar to a quiche or a frittata; it is a dish that contains eggs, cheese and any variety of meats and/or veggies. The thing that makes it a strata is that the egg mixture is poured over and between slices of bread, creating layers (or strata!). This is a perfect breakfast or brunch dish on any day, but what makes it ideal for Mother’s Day is that you MUST prepare it the night before and let it sit overnight in the fridge. So Mother’s Day morning, you simply bake it and are free to enjoy the holiday.

For this strata I wanted to bring some of the flavors of spring into the dish, so I chose leeks, mushrooms and asparagus. I also like to make dishes vegetarian when I’m feeding a crowd; that way I know everyone will be able to eat it. You can always serve bacon or sausage on the side and if you REALLY want meat, go ahead and sub it in for the veggies.

Now, let’s get cooking!

This recipe will serve eight people. It can serve even more if you serve it with a side salad or breakfast meat. You will need: two leeks, ½ pound roasted asparagus, eight ounces roasted mushrooms, three cloves garlic, four tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon unsalted butter, two teaspoons granulated garlic, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, zest of one lemon, ten to twelve ½ inch thick slices of day old bread (I like sourdough), spray oil, three cups milk, eight beaten eggs, three and ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, one tablespoon Italian herbs, large sauté pan, two baking sheets, large ladle, two large bowls, 13 X 9 casserole dish, wooden spoon, whisk, salt and pepper.

Remember, you are prepping this the night before to be baked the next day.

First thing you are going to do is roast the asparagus and mushrooms. Why roast them? Because you want every element that goes into the dish to be full of flavor. That way, when they are combined, they create over the top delicious. So, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take your asparagus spears and bend them near the bottom, and they will naturally break. This removes any woody parts. Put trimmed asparagus in a large bowl.

Next, wipe your mushrooms with a damp cloth leaving on the stems. Never wash mushrooms, since this will make them waterlogged and will result in mushy mushrooms. Once cleaned, add to bowl with the asparagus. Add in two tablespoons of olive oil and toss veggies until well-coated.

Next, put asparagus on one baking sheet and mushrooms, cap side down, on another baking sheet. You separate them because the asparagus will cook faster than the mushrooms. Place both sheets in the oven and roast about fifteen to twenty minutes for the asparagus (you want it still crisp) and about thirty minutes for the mushrooms. Once the veggies are roasted, set aside to cool.

Now cut the green part and stem from your leeks and slice them lengthwise down the middle. You do this so it makes it easier to clean them. They tend to be sandy, so run water through them. Once cleaned, finely slice them. Next, mince the three garlic cloves. Put two tablespoons of olive oil in the sauté pan over medium low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, then salt and pepper. Cover and stir occasionally. You want to cook these until the leeks are translucent and soft about fifteen minutes. Once cooked, stir in the tablespoon of unsalted butter and set aside. The butter adds richness and flavor.

Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine the milk, eggs, Italian herbs and three cups of the cheese. Whisk together. Now take the cooled asparagus and cut into ¾ inch pieces. Next, slice the mushrooms. Toss the cut veggies with the two teaspoons granulated garlic, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. Why did you wait to season? If you salted the mushrooms before you cooked them, they would become mushy. Additionally, when roasting at a high temperature, herbs and seasoning can burn, so it is always best to season after it comes out of the oven. Put the seasoned veggies into the egg mixture and stir. Next, stir in the leeks and garlic. At this point I would add in about a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a ½ teaspoon of pepper.

Okay, now you are ready to assemble!

Spray your casserole dish with oil and place a layer of the day-old bread in the bottom. You want the bread to completely cover the bottom of the dish, so if you need to feel free to cut slices in half, etc. I like to use sourdough because it holds up well to the egg mixture, keeping a nice integrity and mouth feel. Once the bread is in, ladle half of the egg mixture over it. Repeat with another layer of bread and then top with egg mixture. Now cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

The next day, take your strata out of the fridge at least two hours BEFORE you want to bake it. This will make sure that it bakes evenly. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and put the strata in the oven uncovered.

Now combine the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese and the ¼ cup Parmesan and set aside.

Check the strata after 45 minutes. It is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Last five minutes of baking, top it with the cheddar Parmesan mixture and let it create a gooey cheesy top.

Once baked, remove and let sit at least ten minutes before slicing into squares to serve.

That’s it! Like I said before, I like to serve this with a nice mixed green salad. And I also like a glass of champagne.

Now that you have the techniques, play with the recipe. Make a spicy strata with roasted jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Or make a ham and cheese strata and use a sharp Gruyere. The possibilities are endless. Remember, as with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what helps you create delicious meals you’ll never forget.