Many of us celebrated all things autumn this past holiday weekend throughout the East End.
One such notable event occurred at Shelter Island’s Pridwin Hotel & Cottages, which hosted its first annual Fall Fest, a family-friendly weekend filled with classic fall activities like pumpkin painting, apple bobbing, cider sipping and s’mores roasting. Secretly, most guests came for the lunch buffet offered on the hotel’s great lawn overlooking Pipes Cove. Under the helm of executive chef and South Texas native Todd Ruiz, the menu included beef and wild mushroom ragout, chicken roulades with cranberry goat cheese, brown sugar cured pork loin, and chargrilled local oysters and clams. One especially decadent dish among the smorgasbord of autumnal goodies, butternut squash bread pudding, was a standout and long-time go-to on Ruiz’s seasonal menus, which he has offered throughout his career.
“I’ve been making this recipe for probably more than 15 years, as one of my fall/winter buffet dishes,” says Ruiz of the hearty side, “but I’ve also used it in a la carte settings, or prepared as individual muffins alongside roast pork.” As a young chef, Ruiz recalls being “enlightened” by the idea of a savory bread pudding working at the Four Seasons in Houston.
“Twenty five years ago, butternut squash was kind of new to people,” recounts Ruiz, who learned the recipe from one of the hotel’s talented chefs, “so discovering that this ingredient could be used in a recipe this way was mind-blowing to me.”
Now a staple in his repertoire, Ruiz is particularly fond of how the dish breaks the norm of expected holiday stuffing, making this dish a part of his family and career tradition this time of year – albeit a bit on the decadent end. “Yes, it’s probably triple the calories because of the heavy cream, the egg yolks, and the richness in it,” he explains, “But it is so good!”
Here are a few tips to guarantee success: Season the vegetables and roast the butternut squash carefully so it doesn’t overcook or burn but does not remain raw.
“The goal is to try to develop flavor in the vegetables, the onion, the leeks, and the butternut squash before cooking,” instructs Ruiz.
Don’t break up the bread while mixing. “Fold in the custard with care and passion and let everything come together,” reiterates Ruiz. “You want to make you have the perfect bite.” Buttering the pan adds even more richness to the dish and, according to Ruiz, “helps create that crust.”
Currently, farmers markets throughout the East End are plentiful with Butternut Squash. Alternatively, try using honeynut squash instead, which you can find at the equally picturesque Farmstand at Sylvester Manor, just around the corner from the Pridwin. As in all things, practice makes perfect, so give this recipe a whirl before the Thanksgiving rush — it’s an almost surefire way to give the typical Turkey Day fixin’s a run for their money.
Todd Ruiz’s butternut squash bread pudding
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cups brioche bread
- 6 cups sourdough or dry, crusty bread
- 4 cups butternut squash (1 medium-sized squash will do) peeled, seeds removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes and par roasted
- 2 red onions, julienned
- 2 cups brie cheese, large dice
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp salt (more and freshly ground black pepper, to taste)
For egg royal
- 5 eggs
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 quart heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Using about 2 tbsp of softened butter, grease a 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- On a rimmed sheet pan, toss the squash in olive oil, 1 tbsp of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 35 minutes, or until the squash is tender but not falling apart. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
- Heat remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, leeks and thyme, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.
- To make the egg royal, whisk together the eggs, yolks, heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper along with the chopped parsley.
- In a large bowl, combine diced bread and cooked vegetables.
- Add egg royal and coat everything evenly, refrigerate and allow to absorb into mixture for 2 hours minimum.
- Bake bread pudding for 30 minutes at 350, then raise oven temperature to 375 and bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest 15-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
