CABBAGE BREAD PUDDING
Source: McGuire's Irish Pub Cookbook by Jessie Tirsch
Servings: 8-12

Serve this unusual, savory bread pudding with corned beef for a delicious twist on the original corned beef and cabbage.

1/2 baguette (unsliced) French bread, torn into chunks
1/2 loaf (unsliced) dark pumpernickel, torn into chunks
4 cups milk
6 slices bacon, quartered
1 cup chopped onions (about 1 medium-large onion)
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 small green cabbage, cut into chunks and leaves pulled apart
3 large eggs
1 tbsp. caraway seeds
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F degrees.

Place all of the bread chunks in a large bowl. Add the milk, mix well, and soak until the bread has soaked all of the milk, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Place the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook, shirring occasionally’ and turning the bacon, until the bacon is crisp and the onions tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the cabbage and toss to cover all of the pieces with bacon drippings. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and steam the cabbage until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir the contents of the skillet into the bread mixture.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Fold the beaten eggs into the bread-cabbage mixture. Stir in the caraway seeds and blend until thoroughly combined.

Melt the butter in two 8-inch baking pans, coating the bottom and sides of the pans. Turn the bread mixture into the pans and spread It evenly.

Bake until the pudding tests done with a toothpick, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cut the bread pudding into wedges.