Porcini stuffing

Holiday cooking provides opportunities to dream up the most luxurious uses for wild mushrooms. Here's a turkey stuffing that makes use of Boletus edulis in two ways. First, the croutons come from a specially baked porcini bread, then additional porcinis are added to the stuffing.

For the crouton bread:

• 1/4 cup dried Boletus edulis, ground in blender
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 Tblsp. sugar
• 1 Tblsp. powdered milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 Tblsp. tarragon (fresh, chopped fine)
• 1 tsp. yeast

This recipe will work in a bread machine, set to a normal cycle. Or you can knead the ingredients together, let rise for an hour, punch down and shape, then rise again for an additional hour. Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 350º oven.

For the stuffing:

• Crouton bread as above
• 3 cups celery, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup ground dry porcini
• 1 cup almonds, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 Tblsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 3 Tblsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. dry oregano
• 4 sprigs dried rubbed sage (or 1 Tblspn. powder)
• 4 sprigs dried crushed tarragon (or 1 Tblspn. powder)

Grind the dried porcini in a blender until you have about 1/2 cups worth. Soak in 1/2 cup of warm water for 30 minutes or more. Cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a very large mixing bowl. Add all of the other ingredients, and stir to blend with the melted butter.

You can use this as a stuffing for holiday turkey or goose, or you can place it in a covered casserol, add a splash of water for extra moisture, and bake in preheated oven at 350º for 30 minutes before serving as a side dish.