A friend kindly gifted my parents a pasture-raised and organically fed turkey from Hidden Villa at the end of January. He ordered three for Thanksgiving and another one in December – because they’re that good.
While my mom was eager to cook the bird straightaway, she waited until the family could get together, which happened to be this past Saturday. It was the perfect excuse to tackle a recipe I bookmarked years and years ago.
Better late than never: Besides the turkey, the leek and mushroom stuffing I prepared was a big hit with everyone, including my notoriously picky nephew. In fact, there were hardly any leftovers.
As the name implies, leek and mushroom stuffing is chock full of alliums and fungi (cremini and shiitake), as well as eggs, cheese and no-knead bread. After a brief stint in the oven, the mélange becomes crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. Leek and mushroom stuffing is satisfying in so many ways and you can be sure that I’ll make it again.
Recipe adapted from Leite’s Culinaria.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, minced
- 3 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut crosswise into ½"-thick pieces and rinsed
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 6 cups cubed country bread (see notes)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add wine and thyme and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, parsley and Gruyère cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add bread cubes and stir gently to combine.
- Add prepared leek and mushroom mixture and any accumulated juices and chicken broth and stir gently to combine.
- Transfer mixture to a greased 9" square baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 25 more minutes or until the top is golden brown.
