Mushroom And Hazelnut Loaf - cooking recipe

Ingredients

170 g butter, plus extra for preparing the tin
4 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup onion, chopped
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup white wine
680 g mixed mushrooms, stems removed, cut into 1cm chunks (button, field, shiitake or a combination of wild mushrooms)
1 cup chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock, if preferred)
sea salt
fresh ground white pepper
8 cups bread, cubed (use a rustic country or bakers loaf, rather than supermarket sliced)
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
3 sage leaves, chopped
3/4 cup hazelnuts, halved and lightly roasted
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
2 cups cream
1 teaspoon hazelnut oil (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 180\u00b0C.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the shallots, garlic and onion and saute until translucent.
Add a teaspoon of thyme and the mushrooms.
Cook until the mushrooms are light brown.
Add the wine and cook until the liquid evaporates, then repeat with the stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place the mushrooms in a bowl.
Generously butter a 26cm loaf tin.
Put the bread, parsley, sage, hazelnuts, remaining thyme and mushroom mixture in a large bowl.
Stir in the eggs, cream and hazelnut oil (if using) until combined and season with a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper.
Spread the stuffing in the loaf tin, then cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes, until golden.
Serve warm or at room temperature.