Stuffing is never my department. My mom has always made the stuffing (another one of my dad’s favorites) and she ALWAYS stuffs it in the bird.
I must admit, I have never made stuffing before making this recipe. I made it last year as a test, prior to Thanksgiving, and it was so good that Eli ate half the pan.
Regardless if it is Thanksgiving or 90* outside, if I ask Eli what he wants for dinner, his answer always has stuffing in the sentence.
Last year marked a new tradition; our holiday menu isn’t complete without this dish.
Rustic Herbed Stuffing
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients:
11 cups (16oz.) country style french bread, cut into 1″ cubes
10 Tbls. unsalted butter
2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and sliced thin
2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cups chopped, fresh italian parsley
1 Tbls. chopped, fresh oregano
1 Tbls. chopped fresh thyme
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 large bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed, chopped coarse (12 cups)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup chicken stock (I used homemade)
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
2 oz. grated Gruyere cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a large casserole dish.
Spread bread cubes on a large sheet pan. Bake until very dry, 15 minutes. cool.
Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add green onions and next 9 ingredients. Saute until celery is tender, 6-8 minutes.
Add Swiss chard and saute for 3 minutes.
Place bread crumbs in a very large bowl. Add warm veggies and toss to coat.
Whisk eggs and 3/4 cups broth (I used a 1/2 cup more) and add this to the bread mixture. Mix in Parmesan.
Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until golden.
Add the gruyere and pop under the broiler for about a minute.