Mussel and Shallot Stuffing

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Photo: Raymond Hom
Servings:
8

This oyster stuffing, a Southern staple, is cooked in a white-wine broth, giving the seasoned bread an undeniably elegant edge.

Ingredients

  • ¾ pound rustic Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (9 cups)

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling

  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 shallots, diced

  • 2 stalks celery, diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • ¼ cup dry white wine

  • 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded

  • cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add shallots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Deglaze with wine, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.

  3. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add mussels and cook, covered, until shells have opened, about 2 minutes. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon and set aside.

  4. Once cool enough to handle, remove mussels from shells and return to broth (discard shells). Stir in parsley and adjust seasoning. In a large bowl, combine bread and broth, toss, and let stand 10 minutes.

  5. Transfer mixture to an oiled 2-quart baking dish and drizzle with oil. Cover with parchment-lined foil and bake 30 minutes; uncover and continue baking until top is golden and stuffing is firm, about 25 minutes more.

Cook's Notes

Change It Up

Use roasted leeks instead of mussels for a vegetarian riff; swap in Pernod for the wine.

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