RECIPES
Always Stale, Never Boring.
There are a ton of ways to use a loaf of bread after it has strarted to stale. Here are the ten best recipes for dead bread.
INGREDIENTS
About 2 1/2 pounds yellow, white, or red onions
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Salt
4 cups beef or chicken stock (or vegetable, if you want this to be vegetarian)
Freshly ground black pepperFresh artisan-style bread, cut in thick slices (optional)
Gruyere or Parmesan cheese (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Gather your ingredients. You should have about 2 hours until dinner; this soup takes a while to cook.
Cut each onion in half lengthwise, then slice into half-moons. Slice these half-moons in half again. (See this video on knife skills and good form for cutting onions.)
Scrape all the cut onions into a bowl. You will have at least 6 cups of chopped onions — probably more. Don't worry too much about quantities with this recipe; if you have an extra onion to use up, throw it in!
Cut a stick of butter in half, and then into a couple of big pieces.
Place your skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Let the butter melt.
After the butter melts and foams up, add the onions. Stir them to coat well with butter, and sprinkled them thoroughly with about a teaspoon of salt.
Turn the heat to medium low, and let the onions cook. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 45 minutes. You can let them cook even longer — an hour and a half will give you deeply caramelized onions! Just let them cook, stirring at times, as you see dark color emerge.After 45 minutes they will look pale mahogany in color, like in this photo. You can let them get even darker if you like — just don't let them burn or get black. Adjust the heat as necessary.
As the onions reach a dark brown color, pull out your stock. The most ideal stock to use would be homemade beef stock, but I just had storebought beef broth. You can also use chicken, veal, or vegetable broth.
Pour in the broth and turn the heat up a little so the soup comes to a boil. Turn the heat down again and let it simmer for at least half an hour — longer, ideally!
Simmer until the soup has reduced a bit and is shiny and glazed over the onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately!
Additional Notes:
INGREDIENTS
1 loaf of stale bread
300ml milk
300g dried mixed fruit (I used a mixture of currants, raisins, sour cherries and sultanas)
50g mixed peel1 quince or eating apple, grated (include the skin but not the core or pips)
3 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
2 tbsp plum jam
40g self-raising flour
2 eggsa squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice 100g butter, melteddemerera sugar, to sprinkle over double cream, ice-cream or custard (for serving)
DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat the oven to 170C / gas mark 3.
Grease and line a square cake or roasting (28 x 20 cm) tin.
Firstly, you need to slice up the bread, including the crusts. Break up the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk until softened.
Once the milk has been absorbed (which will take about 10 minutes), beat well with a fork. The bread and crusts will break down and combine with the milk, forming a creamy mush.
Stir in the grated quince, then the rest of the ingredients and only half of the melted butter.
Beat well together until combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Pour the rest of the melted butter evenly over the surface. (Use a pastry brush to ensure that it is all coated.)
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1¼ to 1½ hours.
When baked, sprinkle over a little demerera sugar and serve warm with double cream or custard.
Alternatively allow to cool, and eat as cake.
Classic British bread pudding
Although it has been losing popularity as of late, bread pudding has always been a classic dish for any stale bread gormet. It can be served as a cold dense fruit cake but it is absolutely delicious when served warm as a pudding. British bread pudding has been compared to Christmas pudding, although in my mind, it is quite better.
INGREDIENTS
12 - 16 ounces leftover bread - any kind works, but sourdough is a favorite
2-4 cups of filling (after cooking) - This is where you can have some fun! Try any combination of onions, chard, mustard greens, celery, carrots, beans, sausage, chicken, nuts - feel free to throw in whatever sounds good. The 2-4 cups is roughly the amount you want after cooking the onions, wilting the chard, cooking the chicken, etc.
1 cup shredded cheese - feel free to mix any cheeses you have
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Slice and Toast the Bread Cubes - Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut the leftover bread into large chunks, roughly 1 inch. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt. Spread the cubes onto a cookie sheet and toast them for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking, until they are completely dry.
Prepare the Filling - The filling should be entirely pre-cooked, so sauté your onions, cook the meat, and so on. Combine everything together in a bowl. Also, shred your cheese if you haven't already so that it's good to go!
Bring the Broth to a Simmer - Warm broth helps give the cooking a head start.
Build the Dish in Layers - Arrange about half of the bread cubes in the bottom of your casserole dish. They should fit very snugly. Next, layer on half of the filling and press it so that it goes into the gaps between the bread cubes. Finally, sprinkle half of the cheese over the filling. Add a second layer following the same pattern.
Pour in the Broth - Pour the warm broth over the top of the panade. It should fill the dish to within a half-inch of the top.
Cover and Bake - Cover the dish with aluminum foil, ballooning it slightly if the filling is mounded over the top but seal the edges closed. Place the dish in the oven (still heated to 350°). Bake for 45 minutes covered. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is crusty and you can see the insides bubbling.
Let It Cool (Slightly) - This is the hardest part! Let the panade cool for at least 10 minutes so you don't burn your tongue when you're chowing down.
INGREDIENTS
1 -1 1/2 pound loaf artisan bread
1 cup walnuts, almonds, pecans, or other nuts, roughly chopped
1 pound sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, thyme, or oregano, minced
1 large apples or 1 cup raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit (optional)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2-4 cups chicken or turkey stock
DIRECTIONS
Toast the Bread and Nuts: Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange two oven racks, one in the top half of the oven and the other in the lower half. Slice the bread into small cubes, removing the crusts if desired. Spread the cubes in a single layer between two baking sheets. Toast for ten minutes. Stir the bread cubes and add the chopped nuts. Continue toasting until the bread is completely dry and the walnuts are toasted, another 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Increase Tempeture to 400°F
Cook the Sausage: Brown the sausage with a sprinkle of salt over medium heat, breaking it up into crumbles as you cook, about 10 minutes (see how in this post). Transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl and drain off all but a few teaspoons of the fat.
Cook the Vegetables: In the same pan over medium heat, cook the onions with a sprinkle of salt until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and continue cooking until the celery is softened, another 5 minutes. Add the fruits, if using, and the fresh herbs. Cook until the apples are just starting to soften, another 1-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove the pan from heat.
Combine the Stuffing Ingredients: Combine the sausage, vegetables and fruits, bread cubes, and nuts in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the eggs and pour over the stuffing. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly coated.
Transfer Stuffing to Baking Dish: Pour the stuffing into the baking dish. It's ok if the stuffing is mounded in the middle. If you have leftover stuffing that doesn't quite fit, bake it separately in ramekins.
Add the Stock: Pour the stock evenly over the surface of the stuffing. If you prefer your stuffing on the dry side, add 2-3 cups of stock; if you like moist stuffing, add 3-4 cups.
Cover and Bake: Cover the stuffing with aluminum foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
Uncover and Bake Until Crispy: Uncover the stuffing and continue baking until the top is crispy and golden, another 15-20 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving.
Stuffing
Anyone else here think that the stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving dinner? I love its mix of textures and flavors — crunchy roasted nuts with soft broth-soaked bread and chewy morsels of spiced sausage. Oh mama, that's good stuff! As the self-designated stuffing-maker in our house, I've tweaked and tested my recipe over the years until finally settling on this one easy method.
INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
8 slices of bread,
1-inch thick, cut from a slightly stale loaf
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for serving
DIRECTIONS
Make the custard: Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, salt and sugar in the cake pan until the egg is completely incorporated into the liquid.
Ready your cooking space: Place the frying pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Move the pan with the custard next to the stove.
Soak the French toast: Place four slices of bread into the custard to soak for one minute. Flip the slices and soak another minute.
Cook the French toast: While the bread is soaking, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When it starts to foam, tilt the pan to completely coat the bottom. Lift one piece of bread from the custard and hold it briefly over the custard to let any excess drip off. Lay the bread gently in the frying pan. Repeat with additional pieces.
Flip the French toast: After a few minutes, peek under a slice of bread to see if the French toast has turned golden and browned. When it has, flip each piece and continue cooking. Monitor and adjust the heat so that the toast doesn't burn.
Soak the remaining bread: When the first batch has nearly finished cooking, place the remaining four slices of bread in the custard to soak, one minute per side.
Cook the second batch: As the first batch of French toast finishes, transfer the pieces to a serving platter. Wipe out the frying pan. Return the pan to the flame, add 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the second batch of French toast as described above.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 dried bay leaf
10-ounce bag frozen spinach
2 cans cannellini beans with liquid
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock, for a vegan adaptation)
One 15-ounce can (1 3/4 cups) tomato pureé
9 ounces day old bread, torn in pieces, about 3 cups1/4 cup fresh basil, choppedParmesan, grated (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the frozen spinach and sauté for a moment to break up any large clumps.
Add beans, stock, and tomato pureé. Bring soup to a boil. Stir in bread and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cook until soup thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in chopped basil. Remove bay leaf and serve topped with grated Parmesan.
French Onion Soup
Fench onion soup is an easy to make soup that utilzies stale bread. Made of just a few basic things (onions, broth, salt, pepper) French Onion Soup transcends it's simple ingredients to become a dark and flavorful dish. Here's a basic template for making French onion soup; a great meal made at a very low cost.
The key with French onion soup is long, slow cooking which develops the rich flavor. It's not difficult — just slow and deliberate.
French Toast
Ah, French toast! That iconic, special occasion, breakfast-in-bed treat that so many people long for...only to end up with soggy, burned toast and a big mess in the kitchen. But it isn't that difficult, or that messy, to make golden, crispy-edged, truly delicious French toast. Let us show you how.
Panade
A panade is certainly not the prettiest of dishes. In fact, it's just about as "rustic" as rustic cuisine can get. But a panade is something truly incredible. A panade isthe perfect combination of crunchy edges, custard-soft spoonfuls, and chewy bits. It can take all your leftover vegetables, your stale bread, your pantry scraps, and transform them into something you will find yourself craving at odd hours of the night. Savory and so satisfying, you've got to make this.
Ribollita Soup
I've always heard rustic soups like bouillabaisse described as being made of leftovers. This romantic and spontaneous idea of making a meal out of whatever is left in the fridge has been, until recently, lost on me. I'm a recipe girl. The closest I come to estimating a measurement might be using a regular spoon instead of a tablespoon. For recipes with approximate measurements I've found myself wondering, exactly how big is a handful and what constitutes a pinch? Yes, I own a digital scale and use it religiously.
However, this fall, I'm inspired to change. If I can avoid an extra trip to the grocery store and bypass dirtying a measuring cup, I'm for it. And what better to mark the start of my spontaneous journey than ribollita, the ultimate leftovers soup? Literally translated as reboiled, ribollita is a Tuscan soup that can be made with whatever vegetables you have on hand. To keep it tasting like a ribollita, it's best if you start with a base of onions, carrots, and celery and include some form of tomatoes (sauce, pureé, crushed, etc.) and bread.
Bread dumblings
Semmelknoedel are German dumplings that are a little bit like Italian gnocchi, but are made using stale bread and milk. Enjoy in a soup, topped with mushroom gravy or marinara, alongside meats and fish, or however you like your dumplings. Create a slightly sweeter version (minus the garlic, pepper, and herbs) and eat warm with honey, almonds, and ricotta cheese.
INGREDIENTS
6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced* or chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more or less to taste
1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. As the water is heating make shallow cuts in a cross pattern at the tip ends of the tomatoes (this will make the tomatoes easier to peel). Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Put the tomatoes in the hot water and blanch for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and let sit until cool enough to handle. Then gently peel off the tomato skins. Cut out the stem base with a paring knife. Cut the tomatoes into halves or quarters and squeeze out most of the juices and seeds.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the top slot of the oven. Finely chop the tomatoes and place them in a medium bowl. Mix in the minced garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, and the balsamic vinegar. Stir in the thinly sliced basil and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding more to taste. Note, tomatoes love salt; you may need to add more than you expect.
Use a bread knife to slice the baguette on the diagonal making half-inch thick slices. Brush one side of each slice with olive oil (a pastry brush helps here) and place olive oil-side down on a baking sheet or roasting pan. The baguette slices will toast best in the top rack of your oven, so you may need to work in batches to toast them all. When the oven has reached 450°F (230°C) place the slices in the oven on the top rack and toast for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.
Arrange the toasted bread on a platter, olive oil side facing up (the olive oil will help create a temporary barrier keeping the bread from getting soggy from the chopped tomatoes). Either serve the toasts plain with a bowl of the tomato bruschetta mixture on the side for people to top their own, or use a spoon to gently top each toasted bread slice with some of the tomato mixture. If you top each slice individually, do it right before serving.
INGREDIENTS
1 (1 pound) loaf stale French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs(optional)
DIRECTIONS
Place the bread cubes into a large bowl. Heat the milk until it starts to bubble at the edges, then pour it over the bread cubes. Stir briefly to coat the bread. Let soak for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until tender. Stir in the parsley, and remove from the heat. Mix into the bowl with the bread along with the eggs, salt and pepper. Use your hands, squeezing the dough through your fingers until it is smooth and sticky.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. The water should be at least 3 or 4 inches deep. When the water is boiling, make a test dumpling about the size of a small orange or tangerine, by patting and cupping between wet hands. Gently drop into the boiling water. If it falls apart, the dough is too wet. In this case, stir some bread crumbs into the rest of the dumpling batter.
Form the remaining dough into large dumplings, and carefully drop into the boiling water. Simmer for 20 minutes, then remove to a serving plate with a large slotted spoon. They should come out soft, spongy and delicious!
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the dish
10 slices (about 10 ounces) stale soft white or sourdough bread, crusts removed and torn into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups hot milk
1 small onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
4 eggs, separated
7 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400° F.Butter a 2- to 2 1/2-quart soufflé or baking dish; set aside.Place the bread in a shallow bowl and pour the milk over it.
Set aside until the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash the bread with your hands or a spoon and stir in the onions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne. Pour the mixture over the bread, stirring until well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the bread mixture in 3 additions. Transfer to the soufflé dish and bake in oven until golden and firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve with salad greens and shredded carrots.
Stale bread and eggs were somehow made for each other. If you love soufflé but aren't in the mood to worry about it rising or collapsing, use this shortcut recipe for cheese, onion, and bread soufflé that is easy as pie. Love having quiche for brunch? You can even use that healthy, high-fiber bread for a delicious weekend quiche.
Cheese, Onion, and Bread Soufflé
Bruschetta
Feeling like you want less bread and more filling? Toast stale slices, and then top with anything you like, from olive tapenade to leftover meat loaf. Any variation of bruschetta will do, and the crunchy, toasty base will hold together better than fresh bread in the face of moister toppings.
Meat Loaf
Probably one of the best-known uses for stale bread, meat loaf can be a family favorite if you make it right. Breadcrumbs are often added to meat loaf in order to add heft and save money, and they can also act to make meat loaf more tender by keeping the protein separated. The best meat loaf recipe that I have ever tried called for crushed saltine crackers, but crumbled stale bread is a logical (and inexpensive) substitute.
Meatloaf doesn't just have to be made out of beef, of course. Salmon loaf (top with dried dill and sour cream) makes a wonderful treat either hot or cold.
INGREDIENTS
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 medium rib celery, chopped fine (about ½ cup)
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (powdered)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground beef chuck
DIRECTIONS
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use.
Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool.
Whisk broth and eggs in large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Crumble frozen cheese into coarse powder and sprinkle over mixture. Add ground beef; mix gently with hands (I used a wooden spoon, a fork works well too, just don’t over mix it) until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
Shape meat mixture into a loaf, or use a loaf pan with a removable draining bottom like mine.
Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 135 to 140 degrees, 55 to 65 minutes. See my note #6 above if you are using a meatloaf pan. Remove meat loaf from oven.
Let meat loaf cool about 20 minutes before slicing.