bread
curtis stone
leeks
stuffing
thanksgiving
herbs
side dishes

The true name for a stuffing that is not actually stuffed into food is dressing. I don’t want to break any rules, but stuffing sounds so much more appetizing to me. The great thing about this style of stuffing is that it gets crispy and golden brown on top. This recipe makes a generous amount to allow for seconds.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus extra for the baking dish
  • 1 pound French or Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), well-rinsed and finely chopped
  • 5 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 6 large sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Yield

Serves: 6-8

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
 
Spread the bread out on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or just until dried but not browned. Let cool.

 
Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil then the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until they soften.  Add the leeks, celery, thyme and rosemary, and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes or until the leeks are translucent. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to brown.  Add the wine and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated but the vegetables are still very moist.
 
Add the broth and butter, bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly; remove and discard the rosemary and thyme stems.
 
Stir the parsley into the leek mixture. Add the dried bread cubes and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs. Spread the stuffing in the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the stuffing is heated through and puffed. Remove the foil and continue baking the stuffing for about 40 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Serve hot.
 
Make-Ahead: The stuffing can be assembled 6 hours ahead and refrigerated; add 10 minutes to the baking time.

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