I’m a huge fan of bread pudding. There’s just something about the not-too-sweet comfort dessert that appeals to me. Now, the food world is giving me bread pudding comfort in a new way, with savory bread puddings served as side dishes in upscale restaurants.

My take on the trend is a three-cheese version that is light and delicate, rather than dense like most bread puddings. The combination of goat cheese, Gruyere and Parmesan gives the dish loads of flavor, while using just the inside of a hollowed out loaf of Italian bread makes the dish fluffy and ethereal.

Serve along side lamb chops, or as I recently did, lamb shanks braised in red wine, for a delicious side dish. Add some steamed broccoli or asparagus to round out your meal.

• 1 1-pound loaf Italian bread
• 2 cups milk (do not use skim)
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 3.5-ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the loaf of bread in half and scoop out the fluffy inside bread, reserving crust for another use. Tear bread into 1-inch pieces and place in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat the milk, eggs, salt and Tabasco sauce in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the cheeses over the bread and drizzle with the milk mixture. Toss gently with a spoon to distribute ingredients. Bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.