Leek & Mushroom Stuffing

We all have the stuffing we grew up with- maybe it’s Stovetop, maybe it’s Pepperidge Farm. Or maybe it’s Southern cornbread dressing made with cream of mushroom soup (🙋🏼‍♀️). This stuffing is more of a cross between a stuffing/ savory bread pudding and it has a major WOW factor! We hope you will add it to your Thanksgiving line up 💫

6 cups of sourdough bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 oz thick cut bacon, cut in 1/4 inch slices
8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and medium dice
2 Tablspoons butter
2 cups sliced leeks, 1/4 inch slices
1 cup onion, diced
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
2 cups half and half
1 cup chicken broth
5 eggs
1 cup of Gruyere, divided
3/4 cup Gouda, divided
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350

Lay bread out on a baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes.

Add bacon to a cold skillet and turn heat to medium. Cool until crispy and fat has rendered, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and let it rest on a paper towel.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 8 minutes until onions and leeks are translucent. Add garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and sauté and additional minute. Add white wine and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together the half and half, chicken broth, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add 3/4 cup of Gruyere and 1/2 cup Gouda.

To assemble, lay bread out in a large gratin dish (about 13x9 inches). Spread leek and mushroom mixture and bacon on top and toss to coat. Add custard mixture and toss again. Let dish sit for at least 30 minutes, but up to 4 hours before baking. Before baking, top with an additional 1/4 cup Gruyere, 1/4 cup Gouda, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and a few grinds of fresh pepper.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until center is totally set.

In the Thanksgiving line up: assemble this first thing in the morning, and throw it in the oven when you take the turkey out if you have one oven, or one and a half hours before sitting down to eat if you have two ovens.