My favorite stuffings (or dressings, depending on your preference) are those with mushrooms and some sort of nut — in this case, chanterelles and pine nuts. These ingredients work well together and form the backbone of this riff off a classic stuffing.
You can buy chanterelles online, or at some farmer’s markets; I’ve also seen them at Whole Foods. If you can find chanterelles, use another mushroom, even button mushrooms will work.
Serves 4
- 1 pound chanterelles or other fresh mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 4 cups bread croutons
- 2-3 cups pheasant, chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup parsley
- Salt
______________
- Soak the bread croutons in 1 cup of stock. Chop the chanterelles into medium-sized pieces; leave the small ones whole.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat for a minute or two. Add the chanterelles and dry saute them, shaking and stirring them constantly, until they give up their water.
- When most of the mushrooms’ water has cooked away, add the butter, celery and onion and toss to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle them liberally with salt.
- Add the garlic, thyme and pine nuts and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Pour the contents of the saute pan into a large bowl and mix with the bread croutons and the parsley.
- Fill a casserole with the dressing and add enough stock to make the mixture quite moist, about 1 cup. Cover the casserole and bake 30 minutes. Take the cover off and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top browns.
