INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups French bread, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 cups new potatoes , 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup shallots , finely chopped
  • 1/2 lb smoked salmon , flaked into bite-size pieces
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons chives , minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, then cool.
  2. Butter 8×14" glass baking dish. Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add potatoes. Stir to coat and arrange in single layer. Cover and cook until almost tender. Uncover; increase heat to medium-high, and cook until potatoes are lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently mix in bread and salmon. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
  4. Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend well. Pour over potato mixture in dish. Let stand 15 minutes, occasionally pressing bread into custard. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.).
  5. Bake casserole, uncovered, until custard is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve hot.