Rev: Drunken Cheesy Bread

[Elisabeth13]

I've been down for the count with the stomach flu the past week or so, so I wasn't too excited to get back to cooking this weekend now that I'm feeling better. I found this recipe in one of my old issues of Real Simple, and it was the perfect thing for a Sunday evening when I didn't feel like doing much. Bread, cheese, and wine...really, what's not to love? I played around with some of the amounts a bit, based on what I had (my notes are in italics). It's pretty much just a simple strata - I can already envision many different versions and combinations with whatever odds and ends I've got lying around in the kitchen. It was so easy and simple - DBF and I both devoured it!

Drunken Cheesy Bread

1/2 baguette, cut into 2-inch slices (I used a whole baguette, and tore into pieces instead of slicing)
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/8 pound thinly sliced cooked ham (I used about a 1/4 pound)
3/4 cup white wine (I used 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruy�re (I used about 4 ounces of cheese)

Heat oven to 400� F.

Place the bread in a buttered ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch square baking dish, or a casserole. Scatter the onion and ham over the bread. Pour the wine over the onion and ham and sprinkle with the pepper and Gruy�re. Bake until the cheese has melted and begun to brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Spoon onto individual plates.

Tip: If you don't have Gruy�re, you can substitute Swiss, Monterey Jack, fontina, or white Cheddar.


Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

[helios7]

That sounds SO good. I've totally been craving winey/cheesey recipes lately - probably because I can't have wine for another couple of months. It's been a long pregnancy - I'll tell you.

But I'll have to remember this because it sounds quick, easy and yummy for a cold winter's night when DH and I will be handling a newborn's demands. Thanks for sharing!

[gertdog]

Originally Posted by helios7

But I'll have to remember this because it sounds quick, easy and yummy for a cold winter's night when DH and I will be handling a newborn's demands. Thanks for sharing!

Ha! I thought the exact same thing when I read the review and recipe, and zapped it right into Mastercook.

Thanks for sharing, Elisabeth!

[helios7]

Originally Posted by gertdog

Ha! I thought the exact same thing when I read the review and recipe, and zapped it right into Mastercook.

Great minds think alike!

I will of course leave out the ham though.... being vegetarian and all. I think it'll still be good with all that cheese!

[miss piggy]

Hi, new here but have been enjoying reading the boards for a while. Just curious as to what the consistency of this dish is like - Do you eat it with a knife and fork? I just can't envision the texture of it without an egg or something to make it more like a bread casserole or pudding. The flavors sound amazing, although I too would leave out the ham since I don't eat pork (or chicken or beef). Look forward to contributing here, esp in the Inspired Vegetarian and soup threads!

[Terri_A]

My favorite little local wine dive serves a drunken cheese bread that I LOVE!!! It completely fits the bill when you're craving carb and cheese filled comfort food. Their version uses proscuitto rather than ham - so there's another option for meats to include.

Thanks for sharing this recipe!

[lindrusso]

Oh yum! This dish is super easy, economical and delicious.

I made it pretty much as written using some sliced deli ham and the cheeses I had on hand - fontina and asiago. The one thing I increased was the wine and like Elisabeth, I used pretty close to one cup (I keep those mini-bottles of wine on hand for cooking and they are just shy of a cup).

This was a great way to use up I some old bread I had rolling around in the freezer. I always put hunks of leftover or stale bread in the freezer, but I never seem to know what to do with them.

This is a great dish for using up whatever you have on hand and it will certainly become part of our regular rotation.

My only "complaint" - I carved the dish up into 4 good-sized servings but I'd love to have a little more and/or some leftovers. Maybe some day I'll make a 9x13 dish of it!

Thanks so much for sharing.

Originally Posted by Terri_A

Their version uses proscuitto rather than ham - so there's another option for meats to include.

Proscuitto was the first thing that popped into my mind when I read this since I'm not a huge ham fan. I think that any kind of sausage and pepperoni would also work well.

[Elisabeth13]

[QUOTE=lindrusso;1427619]Oh yum! This dish is super easy, economical and delicious.

I made it pretty much as written using some sliced deli ham and the cheeses I had on hand - fontina and asiago. The one thing I increased was the wine and like Elisabeth, I used pretty close to one cup (I keep those mini-bottles of wine on hand for cooking and they are just shy of a cup).

This was a great way to use up I some old bread I had rolling around in the freezer. I always put hunks of leftover or stale bread in the freezer, but I never seem to know what to do with them.

This is a great dish for using up whatever you have on hand and it will certainly become part of our regular rotation.

My only "complaint" - I carved the dish up into 4 good-sized servings but I'd love to have a little more and/or some leftovers. Maybe some day I'll make a 9x13 dish of it!

Thanks so much for sharing.

I'm glad you liked it, Alysha! I, too, was a little disappointed in how much it made...I think a 9x13 is a great idea. I've got half a loaf of sourdough in the freezer that I might need to pull out this weekend to make this again!

[Alethea]

I made this for an easy dinner today and as I was putting it together I could see there would be endless possibilities. I threw in some spinach and diced roma tomato, and also envisioned a version with smoked salmon instead of prosciutto.

But I do have a question for those who have made it--how strong was the wine flavor? Mine came out almost overpoweringly alcoholic. And I love wine so that's not something I'm used to saying. I did use a non-standard dish that's fairly deep, which is making me think perhaps none of the alcohol cooked off and it was supposed to? I know it's called drunken cheesy bread, but mine was almost caustic so I think I screwed something up. Or maybe I finally met a form of wine I don't like--wait, no, that's probably not the case.

[shoyski]

Originally Posted by Alethea

Mine came out almost overpoweringly alcoholic. And I love wine so that's not something I'm used to saying. I did use a non-standard dish that's fairly deep, which is making me think perhaps none of the alcohol cooked off and it was supposed to? I know it's called drunken cheesy bread, but mine was almost caustic so I think I screwed something up. Or maybe I finally met a form of wine I don't like--wait, no, that's probably not the case.

I had the exact same problem. I LOVE wine and caustic is a good word for how mine turned out as well. I couldn't stand it and was so disappointed.

[zackaboo]

Originally Posted by shoyski

I had the exact same problem. I LOVE wine and caustic is a good word for how mine turned out as well. I couldn't stand it and was so disappointed.

The same thing happened to us when we tried this recipe. We ended up throwing it out. The wine (which I know I like) just became too incredibly potent.

[Elisabeth13]

Oh, no...I am so bummed to hear this didn't work out for everyone. My first thought when I read Alethea's post was that maybe her dish was too deep...we just used a shallow square pan for ours - but then to read that a couple others had the same problem...I just don't know. I'm so sorry it didn't turn out for some of you!

[Jmaplem]

Elisabeth,
I am anxious to try this...but am wondering if the type of wine is what is making a difference in the reviews. Do you remember what "flavor" of white wine you used?
Thanks, Joni

[Elisabeth13]

Mine was a chardonnay, I think...I'm pretty sure, anyway. It's been a little while since I've made it.

I know Alysha made this too and liked it - maybe she'll stop by and remember what kind of wine she used.

[blrn1]

I finally have some bread that I was planning to use in this, until I read the last few responses, about the overwhelming wine-y flavor. I'm planning to use a Pinto Grigio, but then I started wondering if anyone has tried it with beer. Or is that idea just too ridiculous to even entertain? I mean, beer and cheese is a pretty good combo in soup, right? And beer bread is always good....

[zackaboo]

Originally Posted by blrn1

I finally have some bread that I was planning to use in this, until I read the last few responses, about the overwhelming wine-y flavor. I'm planning to use a Pinto Grigio, but then I started wondering if anyone has tried it with beer. Or is that idea just too ridiculous to even entertain? I mean, beer and cheese is a pretty good combo in soup, right? And beer bread is always good....

I don't think that sounds ridiculous at all. I don't know if it was the wine we used or what, but that version completely turned me off. Beer might be an interesting subsitute though. Please let us know if you try it.

[blrn1]

I'm willing to be the guinea pig because I think it sounds kinda good. When I checked the reviews on Real Simple, someone mentioned that beer would probably work, too. Now I just have to get my husband to give up a little bit of his "special" beer since that's all we have in the fridge.

[lindrusso]

FTR, I used Cavit Pinot Grigio - it's a pretty light, inexpensive white wine that I keep on hand for cooking because I can get it in those little four-packs.

Maybe a chardonnay is too strong/dry?

I think the problem likely lies in the vagueness of the bread amounts. Sizes of baguettes vary pretty widely.

I used an 11 x 7 dish and used bread cubes, not slices. I layered the cubes so that it was a very crowded single layer+ of bread.

I know for sure that the wine taste was not too strong because my boys really liked it and I think they would have not liked it if it were too strong.

[blrn1]

Oh, man, I think beer is the way to go! I was just about ready to use the Pinot Grigio (not Pinto as I called it in an earlier post ) but, knowing how much my husband prefers the flavor of beer over white wine I used 3/4 cup of his precious Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. He says it was a sacrifice he was glad to make! I didn't really measure anything else -- just cut the baguette into huge 2-inch chunks and filled my 2.8-Litre casserole. I had some chopped HoneyBaked ham (probably a cup) in the freezer, and used up some "pizza" blend shredded cheese, sharp white cheddar, and asaigo.

For us, it was comfort food on par with macaroni & cheese, but about ten times easier. And it was great to use up all those odds & ends, too.

But...4 to 6 servings??? We totally polished that off in one sitting!

[BeckyToo]

I'm going to try this tonight! I'm glad to see so many reviews of this particular recipe. I'm going with beer tonight and maybe try the wine another night. Thanks.

[Elisabeth13]

Originally Posted by blrn1

Oh, man, I think beer is the way to go! I was just about ready to use the Pinot Grigio (not Pinto as I called it in an earlier post ) but, knowing how much my husband prefers the flavor of beer over white wine I used 3/4 cup of his precious Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. He says it was a sacrifice he was glad to make! I didn't really measure anything else -- just cut the baguette into huge 2-inch chunks and filled my 2.8-Litre casserole. I had some chopped HoneyBaked ham (probably a cup) in the freezer, and used up some "pizza" blend shredded cheese, sharp white cheddar, and asaigo.

For us, it was comfort food on par with macaroni & cheese, but about ten times easier. And it was great to use up all those odds & ends, too.

But...4 to 6 servings??? We totally polished that off in one sitting!

Great! I'll have to try it with beer soon - DBF loves Bell's Two-Hearted as well. He would freak if I used it in a recipe!

ITA that the serving sizes are a bit ridiculous. We got 4 out of it, but only out of sheer willpower - we definitely could have eaten the whole thing in one sitting as well.

[BeckyToo]

Originally Posted by blrn1

Oh, man, I think beer is the way to go! I was just about ready to use the Pinot Grigio (not Pinto as I called it in an earlier post ) but, knowing how much my husband prefers the flavor of beer over white wine I used 3/4 cup of his precious Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. He says it was a sacrifice he was glad to make! I didn't really measure anything else -- just cut the baguette into huge 2-inch chunks and filled my 2.8-Litre casserole. I had some chopped HoneyBaked ham (probably a cup) in the freezer, and used up some "pizza" blend shredded cheese, sharp white cheddar, and asaigo.

For us, it was comfort food on par with macaroni & cheese, but about ten times easier. And it was great to use up all those odds & ends, too.

But...4 to 6 servings??? We totally polished that off in one sitting!

I did basically the same thing and it was wonderful! I'll make it again and try wine although my husband said not to change a thing. I used lots of cheese! This is definitely in the category of comfort food.

[jjsooner73]

I made this tonight because I couldn't get the thought of it out of my head after seeing this post earlier today.
I used a Pinot Grigio (boyfriend had a bottle and sent it home with me).
I had some sliced ham in the freezer, and used a sharp cheddar.

It wasn't somehow what I expected, but I liked it. I will play with it--and definitely want to try it with beer. Maybe some fresh nutmeg (am thinking fondue here), and I'd like it with sausage as well.

It's just me, and I ate 1/3 of it.

[blrn1]

I guess it just depends which flavor you're in the mood for. I think I will try it again with a white like the Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc. We don't typically care for Chardonnays so I can imagine that we wouldn't like that version. It's nice to know it's versatile, depending on what you have and what you have a taste for.

[jjsooner73]

I just (guiltily) had some of this for lunch today, reheated in a toaster oven. I actually think i like it better today than last night, probably because it was less soggy in the middle.

[SugarNSpice]

I made this last night and used hard apple cider in place of the wine. It was a great flavor paired with sharp cheddar cheese.

[swedish cook]

Very good using what we had at home. With very little plain white bread in the freezer I used 3 slices white and 5 slices rosemary bread. Cut all into cubes, placed in 8 x 8-inch glass dish and poured 3/4 cup Shiner Bock over bread and onions. Had no ham so I just topped with 5 ounces grated Gruyere. A definite repeat with that Texas beer and rosemary bread.

[Alethea]

I'm so glad to hear these latest reviews. Even though my first time with this wasn't a success, I want to give it another try. I really like the idea of hard cider or beer too.

[Natasha]

I made a variation of this today and we quite liked it.

My changes:

- used crusty French bread (thicker loaf) rather than a traditional baguette
- skipped the ham (though I think it would be good with something like chorizo!)
- used a blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
- used about 1/2 cup of wine because I didn't want a very strong wine flavour

I made the Golden Winter Soup and served this bread alongside, instead of making the gruyere toasts (which I have made before and they are sooo good. But I digress ). The combination was very good. The taste of the cheesy bread reminded me a bit of fondue, if that makes any sense.

DH and I'd like to try it with beer as some of you have done. DH suggested using something like a sourdough or even a rye bread for that, and I thought cheddar would go well with that combo. Look forward to trying it someday!

Thanks for the recipe, Elisabeth!

[sfarler]

I made this the past weekend to take to a chili dinner. I made just as written only I doubled it and baked it in a 9 x 13 pan. It went over really great with everyone and was really good as a side with the chili. I used pinot grigio, but I think beer may be even better.