kale & mushroom strata

SERVES 6

This is, essentially, your omelette on toast without having to get your frying pan to the perfect temperature, and the cooked mushrooms make for a wonderful surprise. It’s ideal for feeding a crowd, or you can simply halve the recipe below and make it a rather generous serving for two. Cooking the eggs like this gives them the most glorious, custard-like mouthfeel. I’ll never use a regular oven for this style of cooking ever again. This tends to work best in a slow cooker with a wide dish so that some chunks of bread stay firm while others soften.

2 tbsps olive oil

30g butter

½ onion, finely chopped

225g mixed mushrooms 2 tbsps marjoram or lemon

thyme leaves

200g (4 cups) cubed, day-old

sourdough (crusts on) 150g (2 cups) chopped

cavolo nero

6 eggs

250ml (1 cup) full-cream

(whole) milk

250ml (1 cup) pouring

(single/light) cream

75g (½ cup) grated mozzarella 75g (½ cup) grated Swiss

cheese

1 tsp Dijon mustard flash-fried saltbush leaves to

serve (optional)

1 Set the slow cooker to the sauté function. Add the oil and butter and, once the butter is melted and foaming, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, or until starting to soften.

2 Add the mushrooms and herbs and turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are beginning to soften.

3 Gently remove the mushroom mixture and wipe out the bowl of your cooker, then line it with some baking paper. Add the bread chunks and mushroom mixture (reserving one or two bigger mushrooms for the top), then add the cavolo nero and toss gently to combine. Nestle the reserved mushrooms on top.

4 Add the eggs, milk, cream, cheeses and mustard to a jug and whisk to combine. Pour over the bread mixture, then cook on low for 11/2—2 hours. I keep the lid off, but if you prefer to keep it on, line the lid with a paper towel to capture the moisture.

5 Scoop into bowls and season generously with salt and pepper.

Top with saltbush leaves, if using.