This stuffing recipe is also vegetarian; use fresh herbs if you can get them -- it makes the aroma and taste heavenly.
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter
- 20 to 24 oz. fresh small portabella and wild mushrooms
- 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons sage, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
- 9 to 10 cups Pamela’s Amazing Bread, cut in 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes, dried for a couple of days or in low oven until dry and crisp (add 1 bunch green onions, chopped to the dough with the liquid ingredients when making the bread)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 to 4 cups veggie stock
Yield:
Prep mushrooms by wiping any dirt off with a paper towel. Separate small mushrooms from each other by pulling apart; trim the base of large or grouped mushrooms if spongy, and thinly slice larger mushrooms. In a large frying pan, melt 1 TBSP butter at a time and brown mushrooms, adding just enough mushrooms to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook on medium high, allowing the mushrooms to brown on one side and allowing the moisture to evaporate, before stirring. Empty pan, add one more TBSP butter and repeat until all the mushrooms have been browned. (Sauté like kinds of mushrooms together, as they may need different cooking times.) Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter in the same pan, add onions, leeks, and celery, and cook on medium low, until soft and opaque, about 18-20 minutes. Add the fresh herbs, salt, pepper and paprika, and cook about 2 minutes until fragrant. Allow to cool slightly.
Gently toss the bread cubes with mushrooms, add the eggs, toss thoroughly mix, add the onions and herbs, and toss thoroughly again, coating each cube with buttery goodness. Add a cup broth and toss, add second cup of broth, toss. Add third cup of broth again. If you like your stuffing a little on the dry side this should be just right. If you like yur stuffing a little more moist, add the last cup of stock and toss once more.
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake in buttered baking dish with cover for about 45 minutes, until completely heated through and brown on the edges. If you like your stuffing with a little crisper crust, remove cover for last 10 to 15 minutes. May also be stuffed into your favorite bird.
Chef’s Note: This is a spectacular riff on traditional stuffing that will keep your vegetarian friends coming back for more.