Baguette, Smoked Oyster and Pancetta Stuffin Muffins

Baguette, Smoked Oyster and Pancetta Stuffin Muffins pack a ton of gourmet flavor into a small package!

It starts with fresh baguette (always a superior starting point) and then the fun begins. Crisped pancetta and oysters layer in their smokiness. Sauted leeks and celery provide the stuffing staples everyone expects. Then we take things up a notch by deglazing the pan with cognac. Heck ya. Of course there are plenty of fresh herbs, a little sweetness from dried cranberries and some crunch from toasted pine nuts.

Stuffin Muffin Strategy

Brian and Lynda were our creators for this exotic stuffing side dish (well technically Brian. Lynda’s dessert creation is a post coming out soon!) Brian decided to adapt this Bon Appetit recipe into stuffin muffins for a few reasons. The first being, he wanted individual servings to have bits of crisp exterior. Another reason, was because he made the stuffing in advance, then transported it to my house. Muffin-sized portions made the reheating process much quicker. A great strategy when competing for oven space on Thanksgiving!

Note – Brian’s version opted for lemon zest vs. the thinly sliced lemons used in the original recipe.

This side dish was part of our Recipes You Always Wanted to Make for Thanksgiving Gourmet Group dinner. Here’s a snapshot of our menu and the additional recipes that can be found in the recipe index, or will be posted shortly.

Baking Dish Option: You can spoon your stuffing into muffin tins, like Brian, or use a baking dish if you prefer. If you opt for a baking dish, cover the dish with buttered foil and bake stuffing until a paring knife inserted into the center comes out hot, about 30–35 minutes. Then Increase the oven temperature to 450°. Uncover and bake stuffing until top is golden brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Either way, this gourmet side dish will take your thanksgiving feast to a whole new level.

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Baguette, Smoked Oyster, and Pancetta Stuffin’ Muffins

5 from 1 vote

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Servings: 8

Author: Adapted from Bon Appetit Baguette, Smoked Oyster, and Pancetta Stuffin’Muffins

Ingredients

• ¾ stick of unsalted butter cut into pieces, divided
• 5 cups coarsely torn baguette dried out overnight
• 1/8 cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ounces pancetta cut into ¼” pieces
• 1 large leek white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 cup Cognac
• 1 large egg
• 1-1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth divided
• 1 can coarsely chopped canned smoked oysters
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup Dried Cranberries Craisins

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place bread in a large bowl.
• Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool; add to bowl with bread.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook pancetta, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Add leeks and celery to skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until leeks are golden brown and soft, 10–15 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
• Reduce heat, add Cognac to skillet (take care, as it can ignite), and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost all evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup butter; cook, stirring, until melted. Drizzle over bread mixture.
• Whisk egg and 1 cup stock in a medium bowl; pour over bread mixture. Add oysters, thyme, sage, craisins and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and toss, adding more stock (if necessary ¼-cupful at a time as needed (you may not use it all), until combined and bread is hydrated.
• Spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Fill each cup with Stuffing. Add a small piece of butter on top of each muffin. Spay one side of a piece of foil and cover muffin tin(s). Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown and crisp, approximately 10 minutes.