Mott’s Breakfast Soufflé
Every Southern cook has his or her own version of this stratalike breakfast soufflé, but I’m willing to bet that each and every one begins with white sandwich bread. In the past, I’ve tried to fancy it up using challah or brioche or some other bread, but it was never quite as good. I first had this particular variation on a visit to Meridian, Mississippi, catering my cousin’s rehearsal dinner. My crew and I were working so hard we hadn’t even stopped to eat. One of the local ladies, Mott, brought us this soufflé, ready to bake. Hot out of the oven, it was utterly delicious. Note that it should be prepared the night before, allowed to soak overnight, and baked the following morning.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Generously butter a 7 x 11-inch baking dish.
Step 2
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat to just before the smoking point (see Know-how, page 147). Add the sausage and break into small pieces. Cook and stir until brown all over, 7 to 8 minutes.
Step 3
Trim the crusts from the bread and spread the slices with the butter. Cut each slice into 3 fingers and layer half the fingers over the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the sausage and half the cheese. Repeat with the remaining bread, sausage, and cheese.
Step 4
Combine the milk, eggs, mustard, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl and whisk to mix. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, sausage, and cheese. Press the bread down to submerge. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
Step 5
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 6
Bake for about 30 minutes, covered, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and puffy. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving warm.
