| 1 | "this is derived from an old welsh recipe for steamed leek pudding. |
| 2 | After fiddling around with the ubiquitous onion, i came up with this richly flavored bread pudding (and several variations). |
| 3 | You could, of course, steam it as in the original recipe if you have a nice pudding mold, but it"s just fine baked in a souffle dish or loaf pan. |
| 4 | It"s so good it makes my toes curl. |
| 5 | Try it with roast chicken and a spoonful of pan gravy." |
| 6 | tear bread on a large, clean tea towel and spread to dry for several hours. |
| 7 | You may speed this process by drying the crumbs on a cookie sheet in a 300 °F oven for about 30 minutes, stirring and turning them occasionally. |
| 8 | melt 4 tablespoon of the butter and add onions. |
| 9 | Cook them over lowish heat until lightly colored, adding garlic near the end of the cooking time. |
| 10 | When the onions are done, pour in chicken broth, remove pan from heat, and allow to cool. |
| 11 | beat eggs and cream together in a large mixing bowl. |
| 12 | Stir in sage, thyme, nutmeg, and pepper. |
| 13 | Add cooled onion mixture and bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. |
| 14 | When well blended, press ingredients down firmly with the back of a spoon and allow it to rest 30 minutes to absorb liquid and flavors. |
| 15 | preheat oven to 350 °F. |
| 16 | thoroughly butter a souffle dish or loaf pan, or spray with one of those nonstick pan coatings. |
| 17 | Spoon mixture firmly into pan. |
| 18 | Bang the pan bottom sharply on a hard surface a couple of times to settle ingredients, and finish by pressing and smoothing the top with your fingers. |
| 19 | Strew flakes of remaining butter over the surface. |
| 20 | place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until firm and nicely browned. |
| 21 | Do not overbake--remember, this is bread *pudding*, not bread loaf. |
| 22 | Serve hot or at room temperature or cold--they"re all divine. |
| 23 | afterthoughts: you may make this a day ahead. |
| 24 | Bake it in a loaf pan, chill thoroughly, slice, and saute it in butter to go along with creamy scrambled eggs and crisp, thick-sliced bacon. |
| 25 | then again you might layer it with oysters and lashings of dry sherry. |
| 26 | it"s no slouch either with ham or pork chops and homemade coarse applesauce. |
