Recipe: Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Here's a top-notch recipe from one of our good friends and one of Seattle's greatest chefs, Seth Caswell. Look for his new restaurant, emmer, this Spring.

Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing (aka Bread Pudding)
Chef Seth Caswell
emmer restaurant

Serves 12

Ingredients
10 lbs leeks, greens removed
3 lbs wild mushrooms (white or golden chanterelles, hedgehogs, oyster, porcini)
4 oz shallots, peeled, sliced into rings
1 oz thyme sprigs, leaves removed and chopped
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup whole, unsalted butter
1 loaf white or sour dough bread, staled or cut into cubed and toasted
½ cup hard cow’s or sheep’s milk cheese (parmesan or pecorino)
2 cups mushroom stock
½ bottle sweet or dry sherry
to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1) Leeks: Using only the white portion of the leeks, slice the leek in half the long way. With the cut surface on the cutting board, chop the leek into ¼” slices. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, slowly heat 3 Tbsp butter. Add all of the leeks and season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir intermittently for fifteen minutes, until leeks are soft and fragrant. Season again with salt and pepper and transfer leeks to cool.
2) Mushrooms: Remove dirt or pine needles from the mushrooms. If you are using large-sized mushrooms, you may chop them slightly, although not necessary. Using the same heavy bottomed skillet, heat a couple of teaspoons of olive oil over high heat. In four separate batches, brown the mushrooms in the oil, sautéing thoroughly. When each batch of mushrooms has cooked for nearly five minutes, add some of the shallots and fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper and deglaze the pan with a splash of the sherry. Transfer the mushrooms to cool, and wipe the skillet with a towel – then repeat the process for cooking the mushrooms until all of the mushrooms are cooked.
3) Assembling the dish: Dot half of the remaining butter on the bottom of a glass or ceramic casserole (preferably measuring 9”x14”). Layer the bread on the bottom of the casserole and soak the bread with the mushrooms stock. Dot the remaining butter on top of the mushrooms. Layer all of the leeks atop the bread, then layer the mushrooms atop the leeks. Drizzle everything with the remaining sherry. Finally, sprinkle the cheese to cover the entire surface. Cover with aluminum foil and place in a 325° oven for an hour. Remove the foil and continue to bake for twenty more minutes. The top should be crusty and the bottom should be moist, but not swimming in the mushroom stock. If there is too much liquid, cover and cook an additional 30 minutes. Cool Slightly and spoon this delicious stuffing as a delightful Thanksgiving side dish. Enjoy!