Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Strata

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cup chopped onion)
• 4 cups lightly packed chopped kale (about ½ large bunch or 1 small bunch)
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 oz gruyere (1 cup grated)
• 6 oz mozzarella (1 ½ cup grated)
• ½ cup vermouth (or any dry white wine)
• About 6 cups chopped baguette or good quality European-style bread (stale bread works best)
• 2 ½ cups half-and-half cream (or 2 cups milk, for a lighter version)
• 7 large eggs

Instructions

1. 1
   Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Let them rehydrate for 15 minutes, then drain the water. Chop the tomatoes in roughly 1/2 inch slices. (I often use slow-roasted tomatoes from my garden that I froze, so feel free to do that if you have some on hand.)
2. 2
   In a large skillet, place the 3 Tbsp olive oil and chopped onion on medium heat and sauté until the onions are translucent and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the kale is wilted slightly. Remove from heat and pour in the vermouth or white wine. Allow the mixture to cool.
3. 3
   Chop the bread into cubes (about 3/4 inch in size). I find old stale bread yields best results. (If your bread is fresh, you can cube it and toss it in a couple tablespoonfuls of olive oil, then bake it on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes in a 350F oven to crisp it up a bit.
4. 4
   In a large bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add the milk and cream and whisk until thick and creamy.
5. 5
   Place the stale or toasted bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the grated cheeses and toss lightly. Add the kale and tomato mixture as well as the cheese and cream mixture. Give it a gentle mix and then pour it into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. At this stage, some recipes recommend placing the covered dish in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, before baking. I prefer baking it right away. Whichever method you chose, when you're ready to bake it, do so in a 350 F oven for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife blade inserted comes out clean. It should be nice and golden on top. (If it came out of the fridge, it may need a few extra minutes of baking).
6. 6
   Let the strata cool for about 10 minutes before serving. (It can also be kept in fridge after it's baked, for up to 3 days, and reheated in the oven as needed).