Bacon Leek And Mushroom Stuffing From Williams Sonoma Recipes

STUFFING WITH MUSHROOMS, LEEKS AND BACON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Trim the crusts from the white bread and cut into 1-inch cubes; if using corn bread, coarsely crumble it. Spread the bread pieces out on one or two large baking sheets. Toast in the oven, tossing occasionally, until very dry, about 30 minutes for white bread, 1 hour for corn bread. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon strips until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the leeks to the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until mushrooms are tender and most of their juices have evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the sage and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
• Spoon the mushroom mixture over the dried bread. Stir in stock. If using white bread, stir in the cider. Add parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. The mixture should be moist and very soft. If you like your stuffing extremely moist, add enough stock to make it seem slightly soggy but not wet. (Think pudding.) Crumble bacon and stir it in.
• Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking pan. Drizzle 3 tablespoons melted butter over the stuffing. Bake until golden, 35 to 45 minutes.

BACON, LEEK AND MUSHROOM STUFFING FROM WILLIAMS SONOMA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish.
• In a large sauté pan, arrange the bacon in a single layer. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook the bacon, turning occasionally, until it is browned but not crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour the bacon fat from the pan into a heatproof measuring cup.
• Return 1 Tbs. of the fat to the same pan and reserve the rest. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 Tbs. of the olive oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl. In the same pan over medium heat, warm another 1 Tbs. of the reserved bacon fat and the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the leeks and celery and sauté until the vegetables are soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the leek and celery mixture to a very large bowl. Add the sourdough stuffing and stir until well combined. Add the stock 1/2 cup (125 ml) at a time, tossing the mixture constantly, making sure the stock is completely absorbed into the croutons and does not pool in the bottom of the bowl. Taste a crouton; it should be moist throughout but not soggy. You may not need all of the stock. Add the mushrooms and bacon and toss gently until well combined.