Yes, ‘they say: April showers bring May flowers’, but
foodies have put a twist on this. How
about May shower brunches bring hoards of people together to celebrate new
arrivals, embarking relationships, sunny mornings with friends; however you do
it, brunch is a happening thing this time of year and to celebrate this, I’ll
cook up one of my all time favorites: an egg bake (some call this one an egg
strata, crust-less quiche, it’s an baked egg dish that is light and delicious
and really doesn't matter what you call it).
More formally, egg bakes are actually quiches without the
crust. Since flour and gluten are faux
pas, or less the social, cultural, and health-wise norm, I like to make my
quiche without the crust. Plus, without
the butter and flour crust, the flavors/veggies
I add to my eggs get extra special attention. And the greatest thing about the crust-less quiche , in my opinion, is literally anything can go into it; it’s really all
about your palette’s preference. Because
this recipe is for a one-pan meal, I have added French bread, therefore, it
becomes non-gluten free but please feel free to add or omit whatever you choose
to make your baked egg masterpiece.
For today, we’ll make an egg strata because of the layers of goodness and we’ll call it “Baked May Sunshine”. Early spring vegetables, such as, asparagus, are shooting out and are the perfect highlight to this dish. We’ll add other ingredients for flavor and color and “Le viola” French or “Eccola” Italian…here is it!
Baked May Sunshine serves 6
INGREDIENTS
½ an onion, sliced thinly
½ a red pepper, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ lb asparagus, cut in 2" rods
one head of broccoli
~ ½ loaf of French bread
½ - 1 c of shredded cheddar, your preference
8 eggs
3 c. milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mustard
¼ tsp pepper
Instructions egg bake
creation:
1 – Butter baking dish and
preheat oven to 325°.
2 – Sauté onions and
peppers in oil over medium heat until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally.
3 – Meanwhile, steam the asparagus
and then the broccoli; just until tender.
4 – Prep bread by slicing
the bread and then cut them once again in triangles.
5 – Now we’re going to
layer or strata the ingredients. First
lay down half of the bread triangles. On
top of that evenly spread the green vegetables, then the sautéed ones, top with
cheese. I don’t like a lot so I sprinkle about ½ cup. Now top with the last layer – the remaining
bread triangles.
6 – In a separate bowl,
blend eggs, milk, salt, ground mustard, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over layers in baking
pan. Be sure to be even. Sprinkle with remaining cheese (here I do
only about ¼ cup).
7 - Cover pan with foil. The next step is to cool the strata, so place
in fridge. You can leave it in up to 24
hours; I wait only 20 minutes to pop mine in the oven.
8 – Bake cover for 30
minutes. Then uncover and continue
baking for another 35-45 minutes.
9 – Allow your dish to
cool and meld. Lastly, serve and enjoy.
 |
| Sauteed just lightly since they'll be cooked in the oven. |
 |
| Layers before egg mixture added |
 |
| Just out of the oven. Time to cool. |
