asparagus bread pudding.

Our friend's gave us some GORGEOUS asparagus from their garden - huge stalks, some red, some green. I want to start on my asparagus plant next year and even then I know I won't get good produce like that for at least three years. It was nice to have someone supplement in the meantime. Plus, the asparagus season is so short, it was nice to get some while we can. They gave me another bag and I plan on using half and freezing half. Hopefully I'll have a freezer full of summer treats when it's cold and dreary outside. I'll post later how my first freezing (sans the pesto earlier in the month) goes.

I got the bread pudding idea from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (I know, shock...probably the biggest shock of all is that I'm still not done with the - especially for those who know that I read (probably too) fast. I hope to finish today but I've been taking my time and trying to soak it all in, although it will probably join my shelves as a yearly read. It's also making me want to read The Poisonwood Bible again...but I digress)

It was AWESOME! In her book, she puts morels in it but as I'm trying to get 90% of my produce at the farmer's market, mushrooms were not a delicacy I had at hand. I left them out and it was still delicious. We ate it that night with a fresh salad and the next few mornings as breakfast - so, so good. I'll probably make something simliar with the asparagus I have now...perhaps a wild rice/asparagus quiche. Yum.

Digressing again...here's the recipe:

3 cups milk
1 cup chopped spring onions with green shoots
Add onions to milk in saucepan and bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside to steep.

1 loaf stale or toasted multigrain bread (I used an oatmeal molasses bread we buy from a lady at the farmer's market), broken into crouton-sized pieces
Pour milk over crumbs and allow bread to soak

1 pound asparagus
Chop into 1/2-inch pieces and simmer in boiling water until bright green.

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound morels (or other wild mushrooms)
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in skillet, cook mushrooms until tender, add salt and pepper, and set aside

4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons oregano
3 cups grated Swiss cheese
Break eggs and beat until smooth, add herbs and plenty of salt and pepper, add bread crumbs with remaining milk, asparagus, mushrooms with their juices, and 2/3 of the cheese. Mix thoroughly and pour into a greased 8 by 12-inch baking dish; sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake at 350 for 45 minutes (until puffy and golden)