TOM DOUGLAS OYSTER MUSHROOM STUFFING

TOM DOUGLAS OYSTER MUSHROOM STUFFING image

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 loaf European style rustic bread, about 1 pound
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1-1/2 cups chicken stock (homemade or unsalted purchased), hot
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the pan
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 pound oyster mushrooms, cleaned, tough stems removed, and roughly chopped
2/3 cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts (see note)
2/3 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries, soaked in hot water 15 minutes and drained
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a large shallow baking dish, such as a 9-by-13-inch pan, and set aside. To toast the bread, cut the crusts off the loaf, then cut the bread into 1-1/2 inch chunks. You should have about 8 cups of bread cubes. In a bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the bread out on a baking sheet and toast until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Place the porcini in a small heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Steep until soft, about 20 minutes. Rub the porcini to remove any grit, then remove them from the water, coarsely chop, and set aside. Strain the soaking liquid through a cheesecloth lined sieve directly into your container of chicken stock and also set aside. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped porcini, shallot, celery, onion, and oyster mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread, oyster mushroom mixture, hazelnuts, the cranberries or cherries, herbs, and the porcini liquid-chicken stock mixture. Stir everything together well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 35 minutes until the top is crusty and golden. Serve the stuffing directly from the baking dish.