Northwestern Wild Mushroom Stuffing Recipes

WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
• Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes and arrange them on two baking sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes are dry and light brown. Set aside.
• Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the dried shatakes and stir to submerge them. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the mushrooms steep for 30 minutes. Strain the broth into a measuring cup. You will need 1 1/2 cups of the broth for the stuffing; reserve aside. Cut off and discard the stems from the shatakes. Thinly slice the caps and reserve.
• While the mushrooms are steeping, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the fresh mushrooms and let them cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, or until some of the mushrooms are beginning to brown. Stir the mushrooms and cook until the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-low heat and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in it. Add the onion, celery, garlic, thyme, sage, and marjoram. Cook until the onion mixture begins to soften but not brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Increase the oven heat to 375˚F. and butter an 8-inch baking dish.
• To assemble, use your hands to toss the bread with the cooked mushrooms, shatakes, onion mixture, salt, pepper, and half of the cheese in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups mushroom broth with the stock. Drizzle half the liquid over the bread mixture while gently tossing. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes for the bread to absorb the liquid. Continue to gently toss the bread mixture, adding enough liquid to make the bread moist but not soggy. (You might not use all of the liquid.)
• Pour the bread mixture into the baking dish and pat it down. Sprinkle the stuffing with the remaining cheese and cover it with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes and then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top layer is just beginning to brown. Serve warm.
• Make Ahead
• The stuffing will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

NORTHWESTERN WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups hot water and porcini mushrooms in medium bowl; let stand until mushrooms are soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Squeeze porcini dry; chop coarsely.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Divide bread between 2 baking sheets. Bake until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Cool. Transfer to very large bowl.
• Melt butter in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks, shallots, and crimini and shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Mix in celery and porcini; sauté 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl with bread cubes. Mix in parsley, hazelnuts, thyme and sage. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill porcini soaking liquid and stuffing separately.) Mix eggs into stuffing.
• To bake stuffing in turkey:
• Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Combine broth and 1/2 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid in large glass measuring cup. Add enough broth mixture to remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup broth mixture, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 3/4 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid and 3/4 cup broth into stuffing. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.

CHESTNUT AND WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using chestnut knife or sharp paring knife, make large X on flat side of each chestnut through shell but not meat. Soak chestnuts in bowl of warm water to cover by 2 inches for 15 minutes, then drain well. Arrange chestnuts in 1 layer in shallow baking pan, then roast in middle of oven until shells curl away at X mark, about 15 minutes. Wearing protective gloves, peel away shells from chestnuts while still hot. In large pot boiling water, blanch chestnuts 2 minutes, then drain. Using kitchen towel, rub chestnuts to remove skins. Coarsely chop and reserve. Leave oven on.
• Butter 9- by 13-inch casserole dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• On foil-lined baking sheet, toast bread in 350°F oven, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Place in large mixing bowl and set aside. Leave oven on.
• In heavy, large skillet over moderately high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add another 2 tablespoons butter and heat until melted. Add onion and celery, and sauté until translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Add mushroom mixture plus parsley and thyme to bread and gently stir to combine.
• In heavy, small pot over moderate heat bring chicken stock to gentle boil. Pour into bread mixture and gently toss to combine. Stir in egg, salt, and pepper. Transfer to casserole dish. The stuffing can be prepared up to this point and kept, covered and refrigerated, up to four hours. Bake until golden brown and heated through, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING

Steps:

• Combine the 2 cups hot water and the porcini mushrooms, let stand until the mushrooms are soft. About 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Squeeze porcini dry and chop coarsely.
• Preheat oven to 325*. Divide cubed bread between two baking sheets. Bake until beginning to brown. About 15 minutes. Cool then transfer to a very large bowl.
• Melt the butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, shallots, crimini or button and shiitake mushrooms. Saute until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Mix in the celery and porcini mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the bread crumbs. Mix in the parsley, hazelnuts, thyme and sage. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the beaten eggs.
• To bake the stuffing in a turkey: Fill the main cavity with the stuffing. Combine the broth and 1/2 cup of the reserved porcini soaking liquid in stuffing to moisten. Spoon remaining stuffing into a buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan: Preheat oven to 325*. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 3/4 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid and 3/4 cup broth into stuffing. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake unil top is crisp, about 15 minutes.