Savory French Toast

Layered with sautéed asparagus and mushrooms then covered with a rich, herb-infused egg mixture, cubes of bread take on a dense, almost custard-like, texture.

Course

Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30-60 min

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook, Sauté

Keywords

30-60 min, 4-6 servings, asparagus, canola or avocado oil, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh chives, chopped fresh thyme leaves, cremini or white button mushrooms, day-old baguette or country bread, dinner, easy, freshly grated lemon zest, freshly grated nutmeg, freshly grated parmesan cheese, instant pot, Instant Pot Culinary Team, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, large eggs, lunch, main course, pressure cook, sauté, unsalted butter or cooking spray, water, whole milk

Servings

4-6 servings

Ingredients

Unsalted butter or cooking spray
3 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp canola or avocado oil
6 oz asparagus
6 oz cremini or white button mushrooms
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
8 oz day-old baguette or country bread
2 cups Water
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Grease a 1½-qt (1.5-L) ceramic baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, chives, basil, lemon zest, nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Select Sauté on the Instant Pot® and heat the oil. Add the asparagus, mushrooms, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until the asparagus stems are bright green and the mushrooms begin to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Press Cancel to reset the program.
Arrange one-third of the bread cubes in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Layer half of the vegetable mixture on top. Place another third of the bread cubes in another layer on top, followed by the remaining vegetable mixture. Layer the remaining bread cubes on top and pour the egg mixture over all, pressing down gently so that the bread absorbs the liquid. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Pour the water into the Instant Pot® and place the baking dish on the steam rack. Using the handles, lower the dish and steam rack into the pot. Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cook time for 30 minutes at high pressure.
Let the steam release naturally for 15 minutes, then turn the valve to Venting to quick-release any residual steam. Carefully remove the lid and, using the steam rack handles, lift out the dish. Transfer to a cooling rack, remove the foil, and let cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

BONUS STEP After removing it from the pot, sprinkle the savory French toast with Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven until golden brown, 8–10 minutes.

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