Gluten Free Thanksgiving Continued - Creamy Goat Cheese Black Rice Stuffing with Figs & Hazelnuts

 Ok so not to add any more stress to your life but Thanksgiving is less than ONEWEEK AWAY!!!

No need to panic. I have another make ahead gluten-free recipe for your Holiday table. Today we talk stuffing the oh so challenging dish for the gluten-free Thanksgiving table.

What is my trick? Instead of wasting my money and time trying to tackle gluten-free bread (it rarely comes out right when baked with broth, trust me I’ve tried) I trade out the bread for my favorite cooked rice of choice. Basically for any stuffing recipe that calls for bread pieces I cut the measurement in half and replace that amount with cooked rice. So 6 cups of bread crumbs would be 3 cups cooked rice. Fairly simple right?

I made my stuffing with black rice but if you are weary of serving your guests a purple stuffing you can easily replace the black rice with  brown, or wild rice. Be your own chef and use what YOU like. 

Prepare for goat cheese creamy goodness!

Creamy Goat Cheese Black Rice Stuffing with Figs & Hazelnuts

Serves 8-10

Vegetarian - Gluten Free - 

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Black Rice (wild rice or brown rice will work fine too)
• 4 Cups Organic Turkey Broth divided in half (or Chicken Broth I used Trader Joes Brand)
• 2 Tbl Ghee, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil or cooking fat of choice
• 1 Large Onion Diced
• 2 Large Carrots Finely Diced
• 3 Large Celery Stalks Finely Diced
• 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 Tbl Fresh Sage Chopped Finely
• 1 Tbl Bells Seasonings
• 1 Cup Dried Figs Chopped into small Pieces
• 1 Cups Roasted Hazelnuts Chopped (plus 1/4 cup for garnish)
• 1 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese (plus 1/4 cup for garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Rinse the rice before using.
3. Add two cups of the broth and the rice to a medium size sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
4. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook according to the package directions which will depend on the type of rice you are cooking (generally 35-45 minutes).
5. When the broth is absorbed remove the pan from the heat and leave the cover on to steam while you assemble the rest of the stuffing.
6. In a large saute pan heat the ghee over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer.
7. Add the carrots, onions, celery and the salt and pepper.
8. Stir frequently until the vegetables start to soften and gain some color (about 4-6 minutes).
9. Add the sage and bells seasoning; stir to coat.
10. Deglaze with the remaining 2 cups of broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
11. Remove from the heat and transfer this mixture to a large bowl.
12. Add the cooked rice to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine.
13. Add the goat cheese, figs, and the hazelnuts.
14. Taste for seasoning (some broths and goat cheeses have different salt levels) and adjust if necessary.
15. If the rice mixture seems too dry you can add another cup of broth but the cheese should make it very creamy.
16. Transfer the stuffing to a greased casserole dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is crispy.
17. Garnish with fresh parsley, and more hazelnuts and goat cheese right before serving.

Notes

1. The rice can be made two days ahead. The stuffing can be made the day before and baked off in the oven when ready to eat. Make sure to add 10-15 additional minutes to the cooking time to heat back up from being in the fridge.