2010 © Teri Lee Gruss, licensed to About.com, Inc.

By Teri Gruss, MS, About.com Guide

This easy, stove top gluten-free and grain free recipe for Savory Gluten-Free Stuffing comes from Melissa Diane Smith, author of Gluten-Free Throughout the Year and Going Against the Grain.

This recipe is an out-of-the-ordinary, hearty alternative for those avoiding not only gluten but all grain.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 5 pearl onions, peeled and cut in half
• 4 small shallots, peeled and cut in half
• 1 large bulb fennel (white part only) cut in half, then cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch-wide strips
• 1 stalk celery, cut in half lengthwise and chopped (I used 3 medium stalks with leaves)
• 1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 – 1 cup gluten-free chicken broth (add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, if mixture becomes dry during cooking)
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage (I used 1 teaspoon gluten-free poultry seasoning blend)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used 3/4 cup pan-toasted walnuts)
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered (I used 2 large portobello mushrooms, quartered and sliced about 1/4 inch thick)
• Unrefined sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh fennel leaves
• Cook’s Note: For a meatier version, add 1 cup Bilinski’s Organic (gluten-free) Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage — chopped in rounds
• 1 tablespoon good quality cooking Sherry, optional

Preparation:

Heat oil in a deep saute pan. Add onions, shallots, fennel and celery. Stir to coat vegetables in oil. Brown slightly on medium heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer ingredients for 20 minutes. Add sage and salt and pepper to taste. Add walnuts, cover and continue to cook mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms, gluten-free sausage (optional) and sherry (optional), cover and cook on medium for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. When mushrooms are cooked and walnuts slightly softened the stuffing is done. If there is excess liquid, cook uncovered to reduce, but leave some liquid for reheating.

Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm or refrigerate and reheat when ready to serve. When serving, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and fennel leaves.

Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

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