Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Trumpet Mushroom & Persimmon Dressing
Serves 10 to 12
This dish combines the roasted vegetables and the stuffing — and even the fruity condiment, in the form of roasted persimmons. Because it has a lot of vegetables and is fluffy rather than mushy, it makes a substantial vegetarian dish if you use vegetable broth. Make sure the Brussels sprouts are fully roasted and tender, because they don’t really cook in the dressing.
1 pound loaf walnut or country French bread, or a combination, cut into ½-inch cubes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
Roasted vegetables 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered through the core (or halved if tiny)
3 small red onions, cut into ½-inch wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Fuyu persimmons, cut into ½-inch dice
¼ cup sliced chives
Mushrooms and finishing the stuffing 1 pound Trumpet mushrooms (see Note),
trimmed 3 cups low-sodium turkey, chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions: Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet and let dry overnight. (Alternatively, lightly toast fresh bread cubes in a 250° oven until dry, tossing once or twice, 15 to 20 minutes.) Preheat the oven to 425° and place the racks in the top and lower thirds of the oven. Liberally grease a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish to the rim with ½ tablespoon butter.
For the roasted vegetables: Place the Brussels sprouts and onions in a medium bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet. Roast on the lower oven rack for 10 minutes, then stir in ½ tablespoon butter and roast until the sprouts are golden and tender, another 5-10 minutes.
Place the persimmons in the same bowl; add the chives, the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread out on a baking sheet, place on the top rack, and roast until tender, 10-15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. To prepare the mushrooms and finish the dressing: Meanwhile, cut the mushroom stems into ½-inch dice and quarter or halve the caps.
In a large, heavy skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Don’t stir for a few minutes, allowing the mushrooms to brown. Stir occasionally until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and melt 4 tablespoons butter in the pan.
Put the bread cubes, Brussels sprouts and onions, persimmons and mushrooms in a large bowl. Drizzle half of the melted butter on top. Add the broth, 1 cup at a time, while tossing, until the dressing is saturated. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil; drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter on top, then bake until the top is brown and crisp, about 20-30 minutes. Serve right away, or keep warm, loosely tented with foil, for about 20 minutes.
Note: Trumpet mushrooms have a porcini-like shape and firm texture and are more affordable than wild mushrooms. If you can’t find them, use a mix of half wild mushrooms and half button mushrooms.
Per serving: 277 calories, 7 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat (6 g saturated), 21 mg cholesterol, 261 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.