Caramelized Onion Bread Pudding
Serves 6 with leftovers

Caramelized Onion

Suggestions for serving:

1. This tasty soufflé is a great balance of subtle cheese flavors and caramelized onion perfectly balanced with the airiness of a soufflé. It complements roasted or grilled poultries like chicken, turkey, grilled quail, wild duck or pheasant. Cooked in individual ramekins it is a stunning partner to roast beef or lamb. It also does well with grilled King salmon (The textures of sockeye, Coho and Silver are too soft for a soufflé companion.).
2. It is a hearty vegetarian entrée to couple with dark greens for dinner or a mixed greens salad for lunch.
3. Play with cheeses. Three Washington aged cheese I recommend are: Estrella Valentina (aged cheddar style) or Weebles (a smoked Italian provolone style); Beechers’s Flagship (aged cheddar style).

Ingredients

2 large sweet yellow onions (Vidalia, Walla Walla, Maui)*, peeled, halved and sliced 1/4″ thick (don’t forget to put the onion skins, tops and bottoms into your stock bag)
3-4 slices stale bread, broken into 1″ chunks
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan, Fontina, or Jarlsberg cheese
4 eggs, slightly beaten and at room temperature
1 pint half-and-half
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

*If sweet onion is not available, use large yellow onions and use a little more sugar to caramelize.

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. You will need a 3-quart, oven-proof souffle dish for the pudding, and a larger pan that will hold it and water.

1. Caramelize the onion and set aside to cool.
2. Butter or spray the baking dish and put the bread chunks into it. Distribute the onions evenly over the bread, and sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the onions.
3. Mix the eggs, half-and-half, milk, pepper flakes, salt, and parsley with a whisk, and pour the mixture over the bread, onion, and cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top.
4. Place the baking dish into the larger pan. Pour enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until pudding is puffed, golden brown, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Variation:   Country Soufflé
Substitute 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese for others, and add 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce to half-and-half mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup grated cheddar over the top of the casserole before baking.