Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Strata

It's no secret that I'm a member of the kale-obsessed, that strange breed of people who could eat kale every day of their lives.

I generally eat it in salads (this holiday kale salad and this kale Caesar are favorites). My kale of choice is usually lacinato kale, pictured in its full November glory in the above photo, but in this recipe, any kale variety will do.

I especially eat a lot of kale at this time of year because even up here on the wintery east coast, it's one of the few greens we can still harvest, sometimes well into January. In this strata recipe (basically, a savory bread pudding), kale is paired with sun-dried tomatoes in a rich eggy batter with toasted bread chunks, grated Gruyère and mozzarella, and a generous splash of vermouth for good measure. A perfectly festive breakfast for Christmas morning.

Here are some of the reasons I love this recipe:

1. You can make it the night before and bake it the next morning.
2. If you bring it to a potluck brunch, everyone will love you.
3. It can be served for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
4. It's a great way to use up stale bread, or to turn discounted day-old bread from your favorite bakery into a filling meal.
5. If you live with any kale haters, they probably won't even bat an eyelash about eating it in this dish.
6. On a cold winter day, I can think of nothing I want to eat more (except for baba au rhum)
7. You can make endless variations of this recipe: add some artichoke hearts or olives, sausage or chopped leek, the options are endless.

Have I sold you on it yet?! Either way, here's wishing you all a very joyful holiday season filled with delicious food shared with the people you love. Happy holidays!

Aube is a passionate organic gardener and home cook who likes to share the stories of how food gets to our dinner plates. Her work has been shown on television and at international film festivals. Her web series was nominated for a 2014 James Beard Award. In 2012, she was the recipient of Saveur Magazine's Best Food Blog award in the video category.