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Roasted Harvest & Wild Mushroom Dressing

A masterclass in savory absorption and thermal vegetable roasting. This highly structured, hearty dressing utilizes dense, day-old bread cubes to absorb a rich mushroom and chicken broth emulsion, anchored by cinnamon-roasted butternut squash, caramelized celery, wild mushrooms, and wilted kale.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

The Roasted Harvest Base
  • 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for veggies
  • ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper plus more for veggies
The Aromatic Sauté & Caramelization
  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, plus extra for dotting
  • 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes
  • 6 to 8 celery stalks ends trimmed and diced into ¼-inch cubes
  • ½ pound fresh assorted wild mushrooms sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh kale thick stems removed and chopped (about 4 cups)
The Structural Architecture
  • 6 cups day-old crusty bread cut into 1-inch cubes (or 1 12-ounce package unseasoned stuffing cubes)
  • 1 10 ¼-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup or more low-sodium chicken broth (or homemade stock)

Method
 

The Thermal Roast
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Place the diced butternut squash onto a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet. Toss aggressively with the ground cinnamon, chili powder, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until evenly coated.
  3. Roast in the hot oven until the squash cubes are soft and the edges just begin to caramelize and brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
The Aromatic Sweat & Caramelization
  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven, melt the ½ cup (1 stick) of butter over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the diced yellow onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply softened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the sliced wild mushrooms and fresh thyme to the pan. Cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and turn deeply golden, about 10 minutes.
  4. Fold the chopped kale into the hot pan, tossing continuously until fully wilted, about 5 minutes more. Season the entire vegetable mixture heavily with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
The Liquid Absorption & Build
  1. Place the 6 cups of day-old bread cubes into a massive ceramic or glass mixing bowl.
  2. Add the roasted butternut squash and the entire pan of sautéed, caramelized vegetables (including all residual butter and pan juices) to the bread.
  3. Stir in the condensed cream of mushroom soup.
  4. Slowly pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth, folding the mixture gently from the bottom up. Allow the dense bread to absorb the liquids. If the dressing appears too dry or stiff, gradually add more chicken broth until the desired moist consistency is reached.
The Bake & Architectural Finish
  1. Transfer the heavily saturated dressing mixture into a large ceramic casserole dish.
  2. Dot the surface of the dressing evenly with small, cold pieces of additional butter to encourage a crisp top crust.
  3. Bake in the 400°F oven until the interior is cooked through and piping hot, and the exposed bread edges form a deeply golden, shattered crust, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.