Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients

• 2 cups celery chopped
• 0.8 cup chicken broth 
• 1.3 pounds crimini mushrooms sliced
• 1 ounce porcini mushrooms dried
• 1.8 pounds egg bread - crust trimmed cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2  eggs lightly beaten
• 1 cup parsley fresh chopped
• 2 tablespoons sage fresh chopped
• 3 tablespoons thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 1 cup hazelnuts chopped
• 3  leeks coarsely chopped
• 16 servings salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shallots chopped
• 0.5 pound mushroom caps sliced
• 6 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 2 cups water hot

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Soak porcini mushrooms in 2 cups hot water until the mushrooms are soft, about 30 minutes. Reserve soaking liquid, and chop mushrooms coarsely.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Arrange bread cubes on baking sheets in a single layer.
3. Bake until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
4. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
5. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook leeks, shallots, and crimini and shiitake mushrooms in the butter until tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Mix in celery and porcini mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Transfer to a large bowl, and mix with toasted bread cubes and nuts. Season with parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir in beaten eggs.
8. Combine broth and 3/4 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid; add just enough broth mixture to the stuffing to moisten.
9. Transfer stuffing to a buttered 10x15 inch baking dish. Cover with buttered foil, and bake in preheated oven until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover, and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.