Savoury Bread and Butter Pudding

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 500ml (2 cups) milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 brown onions, peeled
• 2 cloves
• 25g unsalted butter
• 2 tbs chopped fresh thyme
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 50g grated parmesan cheese
• 50g grated cheddar cheese
• 50g grated gruyere cheese
• 50g crumbled soft goat's cheese
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder

Method

1. Place the milk in a saucepan with the bay leaf, 1 onion and the cloves over medium heat until just scalding. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Thinly slice the remaining onions. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes until just softened. Add the chopped thyme and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Combine the 4 cheeses, then stir in the onion mixture.
3. Place a layer of bread slices on the base of the dish, cover with a layer of cheese mixture and repeat. Beat the eggs and mustard into the milk, then strain over the pudding. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before baking in the oven for 25 minutes or until crisp and golden. Serve with a salad.