Combine the hot water and dried porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl. Allow the mushrooms to soak until they are soft, which usually takes about 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, but make sure to save the soaking liquid, as it adds incredible flavor to the stuffing. After draining, squeeze the mushrooms to remove excess moisture before chopping them coarsely.
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Take the unsliced egg bread and divide it between two baking sheets. Bake the bread cubes until they begin to brown, which should take around 15 minutes. Once they’re done, let them cool slightly before transferring the cubes to a very large mixing bowl.
In a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once melted, add the leeks, shallots, and the sliced cremini and shiitake mushrooms. Sauté these ingredients together until they become golden and tender, about 15 minutes. The aroma will be heavenly!
Next, mix in the celery and the chopped porcini mushrooms, continuing to sauté for an additional 5 minutes. The mixture should be aromatic and colorful at this point. Once ready, transfer everything to the bowl with the bread cubes.
Now it’s time to add some freshness! Stir in the parsley, hazelnuts, thyme, and sage. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper to taste. This is what makes your Wild Mushroom Stuffing truly special.
For a heartier stuffing, mix in the beaten eggs into the mixture. This helps bind everything together and creates that perfect texture. If you’ve made this ahead of time, cover and chill the porcini soaking liquid and stuffing separately.
If you’re planning to bake the stuffing in a turkey, first fill the main cavity of the turkey with the stuffing. Combine the broth and ½ cup of the reserved porcini soaking liquid in a large glass measuring cup. Add enough of this broth mixture to the remaining stuffing to moisten it, which is usually about ¾ to 1 cup depending on how much stuffing is left.
Spoon the remaining stuffing into a buttered baking dish. Cover it with buttered foil and bake the stuffing alongside the turkey until heated through, approximately 30 minutes. Once heated, uncover the dish and bake until the top becomes crisp, about 15 minutes.
If you prefer to bake all the stuffing in the pan, preheat the oven to 325°F again. Butter a 15x10x2 inch baking dish and mix ¾ cup of the reserved porcini soaking liquid with ¾ cup of broth into the stuffing. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish, cover with buttered foil, and bake until heated through, which will take about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until the top is crispy, around 15 minutes.
