Sausage chard bread pudding - Testing

https://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-create-your-own-savory-bread-pudding-or-strata

PREPPING THE BREAD

5 cups of 3/4-inch bread cubes

2 Tbs. butter

1. Cube the bread to make croutons.
2. Over medium heat melt the 2 Tbsps of butter in a small pan (level of butter should be 1/4 inch) and allow it to heat up completely so that when a cube of bread is put in, it will quietly sizzle.
3. Add the bread cubes and fry, stirring constantly so they brown evenly, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
4. Burns easily!
5. Set aside.

5-6oz sweet or spicy sausage

Olive oil

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil, if needed.
2. Crumble the sausage and cook in a hot pan for 5 to 10 minutes or until starting to brown. 
3. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

12 oz chard or other leafy green

1 garlic clove, minced

1. Return the pan to the heat. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. 
2. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, and sauté just until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Set aside.

5oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated.

7 eggs

2-1/2 cups half-and-half (or milk)

2 tsps. Dijon

2 to 3 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs thyme

1⁄2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon zest

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Whisk to combine all the ingredients. 

If using a baking dish, arrange half of the bread cubes over the bottom of the baking dish. Scatter half of the meat, half of the vegetables, and half of the cheese over the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread cubes, meat, vegetables, and cheese. If using ramekins, in a large bowl, toss together the bread, meat, vegetables, and cheese. Divide mixture between the ramekins.

Spoon or pour the custard evenly in the baking dish or ramekins. Use the back of a spoon to press down lightly to moisten. Let stand for 10 to 20 minutes.

Bake until the pudding has puffed, is set in the middle, turns golden brown, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes for the baking dish, or 25 to 30 minutes for the ramekins.

Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes, and serve warm. Alternatively, cool completely, refrigerate, and reheat individual servings in the microwave, or in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.

If you make your bread pudding without meat, double the amount of vegetables. Once you’ve made a few, feel free to play around with proportions. Just be sure everything fits in a 2-quart dish, with custard covering everything.