WILD MUSHROOM AND SPINACH STUFFING

WILD MUSHROOM AND SPINACH STUFFING image

Yield 8 to 10 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, stemmed shitake, and crimini), cut into 1/2" dice (about 9 cups)
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 5 ounce container baby spinach
12 cups (generous) 1" cubes day old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust (about1 1/4 pounds)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup (or more) low salt chicken broth

Steps:

Melt 1/4 cup butter with olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add diced wild mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to large bowl. Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Saute until vegetables are tender about 12 minutes. Add all herbs, saute 1 minute longer. Add spinach and toss until just wilted, about 1 minute. Add vegetable mixture to bowl with mushrooms. Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and chill. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to very large bowl and cool. Butter 13x9x2" baking dish. Stir vegetable mixture into bread. Whisk eggs, salt and pepper in small bowl to blend well; whisk in 1 cup broth. Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.