Caramelized shallots and joi blend stuffing

About the recipe

Thanksgiving was such a new tradition for me after I moved to the United States – coming from Venezuela, it was not something I grew up celebrating. And don’t get me wrong, I love it as a tradition, but I also love making traditions my own!

This recipe came about in that spirit, trying to make a stuffing recipe that wasn’t typical. I got so excited when I first tried the Willo Choi varietals; they have such a great mildly bitter flavor that I immediately knew I wanted to mix them with caramelized shallots, garlic and fresh herbs.

To me, cooking is all about taking chances and experimenting, and I must say, this one came out pretty darn well! Take a chance and try it too, you will not be disappointed.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cup torn baguette or other crusty bread, dried overnight
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
• 1.5 cups Willo joi choi
• 1.5 cups Willo rosie pak choi

 Joi Choi Brassica  Rosie Pak Choi

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F and lightly oil a 3-quart baking dish.
2. In a large skillet over low heat, heat 4 tbsp olive oil. Add shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often until shallots are caramelized. Increase the heat to medium-high and add celery, garlic, Joi Choi, Tatsoi, Rosie Pak Choi and fresh herbs and cook until vegetables are tender and wilted, around 7 to 8 minutes. Add white wine and simmer until almost evaporated, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, add the baguette pieces and half the Parmesan cheese and toss to combine.
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 2 cups of broth. Pour over bread mixture 1 cup at a time and toss until evenly moistened, adding more broth if necessary. You might not use it all.
5. Transfer mixture to a prepared baking dish, drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the stuffing comes out warm. Increase temperature to 425° F and continue baking for 10-12 minutes or until the top is deeply golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.