Rustic Bread Stuffing with Dried Cranberries, Hazelnuts & Oyster Mushrooms recipe

Rustic Bread Stuffing with Dried Cranberries, Hazelnuts & Oyster Mushrooms

by Tom Douglas
One Star Two Stars Three Stars Four Stars Five Stars read reviews (6)

Classic oyster stuffing gets reinterpreted without seafood—oyster mushrooms bring fabulous texture and flavor to this chunky, savory side. Serves eight to ten.

Make-Ahead: Can be completely prepared ahead (may need reheating and a garnish to serve) Test Kitchen Guaranteed: All recipes that run in Fine Cooking magazine are thoroughly tested in our test kitchen
Get a quick and delicious recipe every day with our FREE Make it Tonight newsletterMake it Tonight Recipe
ingredient discovery
Ingredients oyster mushrooms shallots chives more more
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for the pan
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Loaf of rustic bread (1 to 1-1/4 lb.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 lb. oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, torn into strips
2/3 cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts (see tip)
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
2 cups turkey or chicken broth (homemade or lower-salt store-bought)
Tip: To toast hazelnuts, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 14 to 18 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until lightly browned. While still warm, rub them against each other in a clean dishtowel to remove the papery skins.

Heat the oven to 375°F. Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Put the cranberries in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand 15 minutes; drain.

Remove the crust from the bread and cut the bread into 3/4-inch chunks. In a large bowl, combine the bread, olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

In a large bowl mix the bread, cranberries, mushroom-shallot mixture, hazelnuts, parsley, chives, thyme, and orange zest. Stir in the broth. Toss well to combine; the bread should absorb most of the broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing in the prepared dish and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes; then remove the foil and bake until crusty and golden, about 35 minutes more.

Make Ahead Tips

Combine all the ingredients except the broth up to 4 hours ahead. Add the broth, put the stuffing in the pan, and hold at room temperature, covered, up to 1 hour before baking.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 340; Fat (g): 20; Fat Calories (kcal): 170; Saturated Fat (g): 7; Protein (g): 8; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 34; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 350; Cholesterol (mg): 25; Fiber (g): 5;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 95 , pp. 46
September 1, 2008

user reviews

Rate this Recipe
Star Star Star Star Star by JuliaGoolia, 12/28/2010This was the hit of my Christmas dinner and my first time making any type of stuffing! I was worried I had toasted the bread too long and then the dish too long, but this recipe is quite forgiving. I also used white mushrooms and pecans due to easy availability. This is an excellent way to dress up your turkey dinner.
Star Star Star Star Star by luv2cuk, 11/26/2010Loved this recipe. I too used white mushrooms (caps only) vs. oyster, and pecans vs. hazelnut (and you do not need to toast). Definitely use fresh herbs -- it made the dish burst with flavor. If you are looking for a stuffing that will WOW your guests, this would be the one.
Star Star Star Star Star by anamation, 12/18/2009Excellent! Everyone loved it including myself! Definately a keeper.
Star Star Star Star Star by hjodrey, 3/13/2009Great dressing-everyone loved it-have made it again and family who do not even like dressing loved it and had seconds. Has become "my" turkey dressing recipe! Try it -it is great-Hazel nuts are not an essential-I use pecans-they are easier to come by and cheaper-I also use regular white mushrooms as a cost consideration.
Star Star Star Star Star by tamlal, 1/8/2009This was such a refreshing and colorful change to our Christmas table. Everyone raved about this dish! This will definitely grace our dinner again. Thank you!
Star Star Star Star Star by toshi, 11/30/2008This stuffing was delicious. I've made the same stuffing for years and decided to try something different. Everyone loved it. The only change I made was to add some celery. Will make this again next year.
Irresistible Cookbooks for Valentines Day Sweets