Oven-Baked Mushroom-Herb Stuffing

By KDHarmon

Ingredients

• 1 pound portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) salted butter, melted, divided
• 8 ounces shallots, peeled and halved (4 to 5 large)
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons lightly packed fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 pounds sturdy white sandwich bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from 177milkstreet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 500°F with the racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. In a large bowl, toss both mushrooms, the olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Spread the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the upper rack until they have released their moisture, the moisture evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Set aside.

Lower the oven to 325°F. In a bowl, toss the celery and poultry seasoning with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter; set aside. In a food processor, combine the shallots, sage, thyme, soy sauce, pepper and 7 tablespoons of the melted butter.

Process to a smooth paste, about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed. Add 1 cup of the roasted mushrooms and process until the mushrooms are coarsely chopped, 4 to 6 pulses.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and the shallot-herb paste; toss gently. Fold in the celery mixture, then divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until the bread is dry and deep golden brown, about 1 hour, stirring the bread and switching and rotating the pans halfway through. Let cool slightly. Increase the oven to 400°F.

Transfer the bread mixture to a large bowl, scraping any browned bits off the baking sheets. Add the broth, parsley and the remaining mushrooms; fold gently to distribute the mushrooms. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains at the bottom of the bowl. Meanwhile, grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.

Transfer stuffing to the prepared baking dish; spread in an even layer. Brush the surface with the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter. Bake on the upper rack until well browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through. Let sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.