Smoked Oyster Stuffing

Ingredients

• 12 ounce country Italian loaf (whole wheat Italian loaf)
• 8 ounces smoked oysters (2 tins), packing oil discarded
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 egg
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, removed from stems
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth, divided

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Toast the Bread: ---

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 325ºF.Dice the bread into small cubes (1/2 inch - 3/4 inch).Set breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake about 10 minutes, or until the bread is toasted, and no longer feels moist to the touch.

3. 3

   --- Cook the Veggies: ---

4. 4

   While the bread toasts, melt the butter over medium heat.When the butter melts, add the onions, celery, paprika, nutmeg, and salt to the pan. Cook until softened (4-5 minutes). Remove from heat.

5. 5

   --- Make the Stuffing: ---

6. 6

   Increase the oven temperature to 375ºF.

7. 7

   Optionally, roughly chop the oysters.Tip: Leave the oysters whole for larger bites of oyster. Chop to distribute the oysters more evenly throughout the stuffing.

8. 8

   Add the oysters, bread cubes, veggies and butter, egg, and thyme to a large mixing bowl. Stir to incorporate.

9. 9

   Slowly pour 1 cup of the broth into the mixing bowl, stirring as you pour. Add broth until the bread has absorbed most of the liquid. (This may take a few minutes.)

10. 10

    Scoop the stuffing into an 8"x8" casserole dish.

11. 11

    Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of broth over the stuffing.Tip: If you're planning on cooking the stuffing inside a bird, skip this step.

12. 12

    Cover the dish with foil, and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the top is crispy and golden.

13. 13

    Leftovers:Refrigerate and use within 2-3 days.Make Ahead + Freeze:Wrap dish tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat at 325°F for about 15 minutes (or until warm).