Cheesy Herbed Stuffing
by Cheesemonger Carolyn
inspired by Alison Roman’s “Buttered Stuffing with Celery and Leeks”
Ah, stuffing...the king of Thanksgiving (sorry, turkey.) If your family’s anything like mine, you’ve already got a non-negotiable traditional recipe, and probably also varying strong opinions on cornbread vs. sourdough, the inclusion of sausage, and so on. But as your trusted cheesemonger, I’m asking you to consider: what if you made not a different stuffing, but a second stuffing? One for your foodie cousins, your adventurous Friendsgiving pals, or just for anyone craving a little something new along with the family classics? One just as tasty alongside turkey as it is crisped under a fried egg the next morning? A stuffing laden with herbs and aromatics and our Marieke Gouda with Honey and Clover, a cheese so delectable and destined for this purpose that I have literally been thinking about this recipe since I first tasted it last summer. A stuffing...a little bit like this!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 loaf good crusty bread (approx 1.25 lbs)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large onions, cut into large dice
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sage, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz Marieke Gouda with Honey and Clover, coarsely grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
PROCEDURE
1. The day before you make your stuffing, tear the bread into 1-2 inch chunks and spread on rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, uncovered at room temperature, overnight, or for at least several hours. (If you’re really short on time, you can also toast them in a 300-degree oven, tossing occasionally, until crisp.)
2. When it’s time to cook, preheat the oven to 400 F.
3. Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, till fragrant and onion is translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, till bright green and tender, about 4-6 minutes. Add white wine and cook until almost reduced (another 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool a bit.
5. Whisk eggs in a large bowl, then stir in chicken broth and cheese. Then, in a 3-quart baking dish (or a 9-by-13 pan), combine bread, onion and celery mix, parsley, sage, and thyme. Pour wet ingredients over and mix to combine.
6. Bake until cheese is melted and sizzling, and stuffing is well-browned and crispy on top, 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!
NOTES
• The parsley, in my mind, is essential, but feel free to swap out the sage and thyme for other herbs you may have around! Alison’s recipe called for chives and marjoram, but I opted for sage and thyme since I had them fresh in my indoor herb garden and thought they’d offer a nice counterbalance to the slightly sweeter notes of the gouda.
• It’s definitely easier to mix everything together in a giant mixing bowl and then pack it into the baking dish...but I don't actually own a bowl large enough and also one less dish to wash after Thanksgiving dinner is a win in my book. Do what works for you!
• As mentioned in the intro...please please please crisp leftover stuffing in a cast-iron skillet with a little bit of butter the next morning and eat alongside a crispy fried egg with a runny yolk and a nice cup of coffee. You won’t regret it.