At your next gathering, this recipe from Gunshow‘s Chef Kevin Gillespie is sure to impress.
This country ham strata comes out almost like a cake, perfect for slicing up and serving at brunch. Like an omelet, you can fill a strata up with whatever you want, but this is the recipe Gillespie recommends.
Keep scrolling for the ingredients and directions.
Chef Kevin Gillespie’s Country Ham Breakfast Strata Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 pound loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, about 3 quarts
- 8 eggs
- 2¹⁄³ cups half-and-half
- 6 ounces country ham, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease
- 2 cups julienned collard greens (optional)
- 1 small onion, cut into ¼-inch dice, about ½ cup
- 1 small red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut into ½-inch dice, about ½ cup
- 5 scallions, root ends trimmed, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and toast until crispy but not browned, about 8 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the half-and-half until well combined. Gently fold in the bread cubes, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F if using convection). Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.
- Place a large skillet on the stove, add the ham, and turn the temperature to high. Add the bacon grease and toss with the ham until melted. Cook, tossing frequently just until the ham starts to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the collards and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the onions and peppers and toss and cook until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the bread that has been soaking overnight and fold in the scallions, cheese, and cooked vegetables. Spread the egg mixture in the prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until set, puffed, and golden brown, another 15 minutes or so. You can test it with a toothpick; when it comes out clean, it’s done. The eggs will deflate quickly, which is fine
