Chef notes
Stuffing muffins are something I've been making for my family Thanksgiving for the last six years. They're perfect because each person gets every kind of stuffing, the crispy buttery top and the super moist interior. You can dress these up with whatever you traditionally put into your stuffing. I have chosen to utilize wild mushrooms as they're particularly spectacular this time of year in Oregon. They add a deep, earthy nuttiness that sometimes, I find, is missing on the Thanksgiving table. And, did you know Oregon is one of only two states to declare a state mushroom? It's the Pacific Golden Chanterelle!
Technique Tip: Sautéing the mushrooms first helps bring out their flavor and also ensures that they don't make the muffins too wet during cooking. Be sure not to crowd them in the pan as they cook and cook them long enough, so they begin to caramelize.
Swap Option: If you don't have access to wild mushrooms, go ahead and use any mushroom you can find in your local grocery store. If possible, avoid using shiitake mushrooms as the flavor profile isn't quite right for this recipe. Feel free to swap out water or chicken stock for the vegetable broth. And lastly, if you'd like to oil your tin with olive oil instead of butter, you're welcome to do so!
Ingredients
- 2 loaves crusty white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 7 tablespoons olive oil
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups wild mushrooms, sliced
- 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced rosemary
- 4 large eggs, whisked
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.Place the cut bread onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 of a teaspoon of pepper and bake in the oven until slightly dry, about 10 minutes.
3.While the bread is crisping, heat a large sauté pan over a medium high heat and add ½ tablespoon olive oil, once the oil is hot add in half the mushrooms and sauté until all the visible moisture has evaporated and they're golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and repeat with the second half. Set aside the cooked mushrooms.
4.Lower the heat to a medium low and add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan. Sauté the shallots, celery, garlic, herbs and cranberries with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until the celery is soft, about 5 minutes
5.In a very large mixing bowl combine the bread cubes, vegetables, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, eggs and vegetable stock. Mix until everything is wet and well combined.
6.Generously coat the muffin tin in the melted butter and fill each muffin cup equally with the stuffing. Apply pressure to each muffin to pack them in and to form the tops into a traditional muffin shape.
7.Bake until the top is crispy and the sides are golden brown, 30-40 minutes.
