Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Stuffing
FROM
Market-Inspired Holiday Menu by Mona J.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine
Serves 16 (About 19 cups)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 1-pound loaves old-fashioned white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 16 cups)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 cups coarsely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 medium leeks)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 8)
1 pound wild mushrooms, sliced
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 1/2 pounds fresh chestnuts, roasted, shelled, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (about) homemade chicken or vegetable stock (or canned low-salt broth)
METHOD
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide bread between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until golden, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
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Melt butter in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks, shallots, and mushrooms and sauté until golden and tender, about 15 minutes.
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Mix in celery and sauté 5 minutes.
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Mix contents of skillet into bread cubes.
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Mix in chestnuts, thyme, rosemary, sage and nutmeg.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
To bake stuffing in turkey:
Mix 1/2 cup chicken broth into stuffing. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover stuffing with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in a dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 45 minutes.
To bake all stuffing in pan:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake until heated through, about 1 hour 15 minutes.