Wild Rice, Mushroom, and Hazelnut Stuffing

Rick Rodgers

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Yields: 10 cups

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup dried cherries or 3⁄4 cup dried cranberries
• 2⁄3 cup  tawny port or 2⁄3 cup  ruby port
• 3  cups wild rice, well rinsed
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3  medium leeks, cleaned and sliced (white part only)
• 1  lb  mixed  wild mushroom, sliced (cremini, shiitakes, and chanterelles)
• 1  tablespoon poultry seasoning (Homemade Poultry Seasoning)
• 1  cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned and chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 cup turkey broth (optional) or 1⁄2 cup chicken broth (optional)

Directions

1. Add the dried cherries to a small bowl and add in the port wine; let stand while making the stuffing.
2. Bring a big pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat; add in the wild rice; decrease heat to medium.
3. Boil uncovered until the rice is barely tender (some of the grains may have burst), about 45 minutes.
4. Drain the rice into a sieve and rinse under cold water until cooled; drain well and place in a large bowl.
5. In a very large skillet or flameproof casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
6. Add in the leeks and cook/stir often, until tender, about 5 minutes; add to the wild rice.
7. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; add in the mushrooms and cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give off their juices, about 5 minutes.
8. Add in the port with cherries and the poultry seasoning and boil until the liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 6-8 minutes.
9. Stir the mushrooms and port into the bowl of wild rice; add in the hazelnuts, parsley, salt, and pepper; mix well.
10. Transfer to a lightly buttered casserole, drizzle with broth, cover, and bake in preheated 350° oven until heated, about 30 minutes (for crustier stuffing, remove cover for last 15 minutes of cook time).