Savory Spinach Artichoke & Brie Stuffing

Looking for a new stuffing recipe this year? This savory stuffing has rich creamy flavors that everyone will enjoy. Excellent the next day.

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:

• ¼ Cup More Than Olives Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• 1 Pound Fresh Spinach Leaves, larger stems removed
• 1 Cup Yellow Onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Dried Italian Seasoning
• 2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 Can Artichoke Bottoms, drained and cut into ½” pieces**
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 6-8 Cups Stale French Bread, cut into 1” cubes
• 8 Ounces Brie Cheese, rind removed and cut into ½” cubes
• ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 deep-dish baking dish with olive oil.

Remove any large stems from the spinach leaves. Roughly chop the raw leaves. In a large frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of More Than Olives Arbequina olive oil. Heat the olive oil to medium heat and add the spinach leaves. Cook the spinach until the leaves are soft and wilted, stirring frequently. Cook until fully wilted and the juice from the spinach has evaporated. Transfer the spinach to a bowl to cool.

In the same frying pan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of More Than Olives Arbequina olive oil to medium heat and add your chopped onions. Cook until the onions become tender and start to brown. Add the chopped garlic, chopped artichoke bottoms, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.  Add the cubes of bread, spinach artichoke mixture, brie cubes, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley.  Gently stir to combine the ingredients. If the mixture seems a little dry, let it sit in the bowl for 15 minutes and stir again. 

Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Drizzle a little More Than Olives Arbequina across the top of the stuffing. Bake until the center of the stuffing is firm and the top is beginning to turn golden brown, about an hour.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top during the last 5 minutes of cooking. 

Serve the stuffing warm so the cheese is soft.

*A little Arbequina will be needed to drizzle on the stuffing.  If More Than Olives Olio Nuovo is available, it can be used in place of Arbequina.

**If artichoke bottoms aren’t available, use a can of quartered artichoke hearts. Remove the tough outer leaves and roughly chop them.