Taking it up a level

Was searching for an hors d'oeuvre to bring to my sister's birthday party, when Eureka!, I came across this recipe for strata. I found it in "The Best of Fine Cooking" magazine, the "Breakfast" volume.

Uncomplicated concoction. And fun to make. Tasty, too, with a lovely texture.

I'm pleased to report that Birthday Girl also found the strata to be tasty. Plus, a bonus: The recipe provided enough leftovers for several small meals over the following week.

Oh, to give my strata the appearance of a fancy hors d'oeuvre, I cut it into bite-sized cubes and nestled each one in a (paper) muffin cup. Spread out on a serving platter, they looked positively elegant.

Assorted notes: 

• Fresh asparagus is tough to find around here, so I usually go with tinned. Tinned is easier anyway. For one, it's pre-chopped.
• The recipe called for ham, but as I'm not a fan (the salt, the nitrates, the fat), I left it out. You could easily unveggify this recipe, though. Bacon would make a suitable addition.
• I am a fan of wholegrains, so instead of going with the requisite white bread, I subbed in twelve-grain. In the same vein, I went with canola oil in place of butter.
• I used 2% milk and a blend of cheeses: cheddar, mozzerella and Monterey Jack.
• White mushrooms were called for, and I used 'em. They worked out fine. But I'd still suggest going with your favorite variety.

Asparagus and mushroom strata

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 4 oz mushrooms
• 6 green onions
• 1 lb aspargus (tinned)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 cups cheese (shredded)
• 9 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 1 lb twelve-grain bread
• black pepper (freshly ground; to taste)
• 2 Tbsp chili flakes

Directions

1. In oiled frying pan, lightly saute mushrooms, garlic and green onions.
2. In large bowl, whisk eggs with milk, pepper and chili flakes.
3. Cut bread into 1" cubes. Spread bread evenly over bottom of glass baking dishes (oiled; one 9x13" and one 8x8").
4. Top bread with half of egg mixture, then half of cheese, then half of mushroom mixture, then half of asparagus. Repeat.
5. Press down, so bread is submerged in egg mixture. Cover with plastic. Refrigerate 4 hours (minimum).
6. Remove from fridge. Allow to warm to room temperature.
7. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, cover with foil, then bake another 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.