BRIE & CRAB STRATA

• 2 tb Unsalted butter
• 1 /2 c Unsalted butter
• 8 sl Day-old bread, cubed
• 1 /4 lb Fontina cheese, grated
• 1 /4 lb Crabmeat, well picked,flaked
• 6 oz Brie, very cold
• 1 /4 lb Cream cheese, softened
• 3 lg Eggs
• 1 1 /4 c Milk
• 1 /8 ts Freshly grd. white pepper
• 1 /4 ts Mace
• 1 /4 ts Cayenne pepper-or to taste

Butter a 2-qt baking dish with the 2 Tb. butter. Put half the bread

cubes into the baking dish. Add the Fontina cheese in one layer, then

the crab, and top with remaining bread cubes.

Trim the rind off the Brie. Cut the Brie into small cubes and dot the

entire top of the strata with the cheese cubes. Note: The colder the

Brie, the easier it will be to cut.

Prepare a custard by beating the cream cheese with the eggs in a food

processor or electric mixer until light and fluffy. Melt the remaining

butter. Beat in the milk, seasonings, and melted butter. Pour over the

strata. Press the strata down with the back of a spoon so all the

bread is moistened with the custard. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake strata for 1 hour, or until puffy

and golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve hot or warm.

From the recipe files of suzy@bestweb.net