This is a great Thanksgiving side dish.

Savory Bread Pudding with Wild Mushrooms
Serves 6

3 cups red onions, halved and sliced

4 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP fresh chopped thyme

2 TBSP fresh chopped sage

4 cups mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (chanterelles, shittake, oyster mushrooms may be substituted if not available)

1 TBSP fresh chopped garlic

1/2 cup sherry

1 cup chicken stock

4 TBSP fresh chopped parsley

8 cups focaccia bread cut in 1/2 inch squares

salt and pepper

Custard:

1 quart half and half

3 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Slowly cook onions with olive oil and herbs until translucent. Turn up heat and add mushrooms. Be careful not to brown onions. When mushrooms get soft, add garlic, deglaze with sherry, and add chicken stock. Continue cooking until very little liquid remains. Check for seasoning.

Combine garlic and half and half together. Bring to a boil and simmer until garlic is tender. Liquefy in blender and let cool. Beat eggs until smooth and well mixed. Add to garlic cream and check for seasoning.

Toss mushroom mixture and bread together and mix well. Add the custard mix a little at a time until bread has absorbed the liquid to the point of sogginess. Pour into pre-greased casserole or individual ramekins. Butter the top lightly and bake in a water bath at 300 degrees until top is crisp and inside is moist but cooked - 30 minutes to one hour depending on size of ramekins or casserole.

To serve: Unmold ramekins or spoon out of casserole. Serve with generous amount of jus on top.