Asparagus & Mushroom Bread Pudding:

Asparagus, the tender April vegetable, whose appearance at the grocery marks the triumphant return of Spring, and the perfect precursor to delicious treats to come. I realize that for many American's, a nearly lifeless bunch of asparagus, roped together with a thick rubber band is an everyday occurrence. But, take a closer look this time of year and you will begin to see some life returning to those stalks (that is, of course, if the vegetable didn't have to travel too far to reach you). I stumbled upon some beautiful bunches just the other day, with tight, bright green tips and crisp, white, exposed ends. I took more than my fare share, along with a selection of mushrooms (shitake, oyster and cermini to be exact). Knowing that I had a stale loaf of bread and a block of smoked swiss cheese at home, I had just the recipe in mind: a savory asparagus and mushroom bread pudding!

Asparagus plants from years past will store just enough starch to survive the winter & be one of the first vegetables to break ground, come winter's end. An asparagus spear as we know it, only looks like an asparagus spear for a single day of it's life. When allowed to let nature take it's course, a spear will rapidly grow in height, with negligible change in girth. Asparagus emerges from the earth about as thick as it will ever be, the only difference between "fat" or "skinny" spears is the age of the plant. Every asparagus plant produces spears with a variety of thicknesses, however, an older, healthier plant will produce chunkier, more multiple shoots. And white asparagus, well those poor things are deprived of sunlight so that they never produce chlorophyll. Botanically they are no different and your choice between the two should really only be based on preference, I for one like the taste of "green" your preference may vary. So, back to nature taking it's course, if left to it's own devises, an asparagus spear will grow about waist high and each triangle scale on the spear will roll out into a branch until it resembles a four foot tall tree with needles, fronds and tiny red balls, sort of like a christmas tree. We however have discovered that lopping off a spear at ground level, after just a few days of growth, provides one tasty accoutrement.

This recipe was inspired by one I saw in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I also got a lot of the asparagus facts above from the same book, it's a gem, packed full of fun tidbits and stories, highly recommended. A savory bread pudding is a great way to make use of old bread and mismatched ingredients, plus its perfect for any meal: breakfast, lunch or dinner. Try pairing a savory bread pudding with fried eggs and a light shaving of cheese, for breakfast, a la Nick's On Broadway (the premiere breakfast spot in Providence, RI). It can also be perfectly paired with a light salad for lunch, or a rack of lamb for dinner. Whatever the combination, it's hard to go wrong!

(Note: If you're going for presentation with your bread pudding, I recommend baking it in your best dish, the same that it will be presented in when served. I most recently put to use my new, cast iron, 3 qt. braiser, it was absolutely perfect!)