wild mushroom stuffing

This is the dish I look forward to most every year at Thanksgiving. It has all the woodsy, herbal richness of heavier sausage-based stuffings, but is light enough to have a second helping. To break up the prep, slice the bread cubes the day before and let them dry out overnight. I also make this stuffing first, to get it out of the way, then bake it off with the turkey an hour before serving.

Serves 6

1 large loaf of crusty sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 lbs wild mushroom mix (creminis, oyster, shitake, etc.), chopped
1 cup dried chantarelle mushrooms
4 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp fresh thyme, removed from stems
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, removed from stems
3 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth
3/4 cup soy sauce
olive oil
salt and pepper

Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet and allow to dry out for at least 8 hours. Bring broth and soy sauce to a boil in a large saucepan, remove from heat and add chantarelle mushrooms. Cover and allow mushrooms to steep in broth until soft, 30-45 minutes. In a food processor, pulse celery, onions, garlic, thyme, and rosemary (in batches, if necessary - food should never come up higher than halfway in processor bowl) until finely chopped.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When oil shimmers, add mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes until mushrooms are just browning. Lower heat to medium, then add vegetable mixture. Season with pepper. Continue to cook until vegetables are translucent, another 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine mushroom mixture, bread cubes, and broth mixture. Scoop stuffing mixture into a large, buttered baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for one hour, removing foil for final 15 minutes of cooking.