Slow Cooker Leek, Mushroom & Walnut Stuffing for Thanksgiving holiday

Thanksgiving illuminates some of the things we are appreciative of. Aside from the obvious, one of the unexpected surprises which I’m personally thankful for and which has consumed me this year is being propelled into a working partnership and friendship with Meg.

The recipe for success in a creative partnership requires us to collaborate, inspired by a clear vision, with a clear understanding of roles, goals and rewards, bound together by planning and preparation. Sprinkle that with a big pinch of self-awareness and the seeds of achievement start to grow. I’m grateful for the opportunities offered to me this year.

Looking back to a year ago, we were reaching the end of our first year on American soil. Left alone at Thanksgiving, while new found friends embarked on long and tiring road trips to spend the holiday with distant family scattered across the States, we closed our door, brined a turkey for the very first time, and indulged ourselves in a family day at home without distraction other than to eat, drink and be merry.

Preparing for a traditional Thanksgiving feast requires thought and planning. A good helping of roast turkey wouldn’t be the same without a spoonful of herbed bread stuffing studded with nuts and vegetables to help soak up the gravy.

By comparison, the stuffing I’m familiar with accompanies a traditional English Christmas dinner, and while it has all the same components – a bread base, sauteed vegetables, herbs,  meat or fruit and nuts, a binder such as stock or egg – it’s different.

Traditionally, we always had two varieties. The savory sage and onion version my mom makes uses fine homemade breadcrumbs and is rolled and wrapped in bacon before baking. Her sweeter sausage and pureed chestnut balls are always given the same bacon treatment.

Our slow cooker stuffing took some thought this year. Keen to keep it just as delicious and within our 20 minutes or less prep guidelines this is an unexpectedly easy stuffing to partner with your traditional Thanksgiving feast, giving you a helping hand in the kitchen and freeing up your stove for the turkey , pumpkin pie…and any other accompaniments.

Ingredients

14oz stale french bread cut into ½ inch cubes & leave out overnight to go stale or 1x14oz pack unseasoned stuffing store bought
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups leeks / 1 large, chopped into ½ inch dice
2 cups celery / 3 stalks, chopped into ½ inch dice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
10 oz cremeni, button or baby portobella mushrooms, ½ inch dice
½ stick/4 tbsp unsalted butter * optional
1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped & toasted
2 tbsp fresh sage chopped / 1 tsp dried,
2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped / 1 tsp dried
2 tsp poultry seasoning
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsps oil over a medium heat. Add the leeks and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 4 minutes.

While the leeks and celery saute, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Next stir the garlic and mushrooms into the leeks and celery and saute for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the stove.

If using butter, this is the time to add it. Stir into the vegetable mixture, the heat will melt it sufficiently.

Once melted, put the vegetable and butter mixture into your slow cooker, add half a cup of the nuts, bread, sage, thyme, seasonings and broth and combine well. (I find it easiest to use my hands for this so i can determine when the liquid is evenly incorporated).

Cook on 2 hours high or 4 hours low

Once cooked, sprinkle with the remainder of the toasted nuts for a crunchy topping.

Looking Ahead
Thanksgiving eve we’ll bring you a delicious creamy non dairy overnight oatmeal recipe.

Zen Toolkit
Prepare the bread the day before and leave out overnight to go crusty and stale. Don’t worry if you forget, you can always pop the chopped bread into the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Zen Moment
“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” – Anais Nin