Savoury Asparagus Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 medium Loaf crusty bread (sourdough)
• 3 cups Milk
• 1 cup Stock (vegetable or chicken)
• 3 large Eggs
• pinch Salt
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 2 cloves Garlic, diced finely or crushed
• 1-2 Sprigs thyme
• 1 bunch Asparagus, wooden ends cut or broken off and cut into 3-4cm pieces
• 100 grams Mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium Leek, washed and sliced
• 1 cup Cheese, grated (I used combo cheddar and parmesan)

Directions

1. Preheat over to 180*C.
2. Grease a 25-30cm baking pan or casserole dish with butter or oil spray.
3. Roughly cut the loaf of bread into 2-3cm cubes.
4. In a bowl whisk together milk, stock, eggs, salt, pepper and thyme.
5. In a fry pan heat the butter, leeks and garlic over a moderate to low heat (so you don’t burn the garlic).
6. Throw in the mushrooms and fry off slightly – to make delicious garlic mushrooms!
7. Add the mushrooms, bread, asparagus and milk mixture together and fold through.
8. Spoon into the baking pan and press down well with the back of the spoon.
9. Sprinkle cheese on top.
10. Bake for 45 minutes.  You want the cheese to be melted and brown on top and the pudding should not be too liquidy (but still moist).
11. Let set out of the oven for another 10 minutes and serve with a side salad.