Oceana Grill’s Pain Perdu

In New Orleans, we don’t like to waste anything and have at least two great uses for stale bread – Bread Pudding and Pain Perdu. French for “lost bread,” Pain Perdu is the perfect thing to serve on Easter morning or any time you want to treat your family. Like every other dish served at Oceana Grill and their sister restaurants Mambo’s, Olde NOLA Cookery, and Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon, you will love this one. You can purchase their cookbook here: Love at First Bite: On the Corner of Cajun and Creole.

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup salted butter
• 1 French bread loaf, sliced
• Optional toppings: Powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh fruit

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, cinnamon, and heavy cream.
2. Gently dip the pieces of sliced bread into the mixture. Do not oversaturate the bread.
3. Add the butter to a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
4. Once the butter is melted, add a few pieces of bread at a time.
5. Using a spatula, flip each piece and cook until golden brown.
6. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.
7. Top the pain perdu with powdered sugar, maple syrup, or fresh fruit. Serve immediately.