When it comes to big holiday meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas, I could pretty much take it or leave it on most of the items. Yes, I enjoy turkey and mashed potatoes…but I’m quite sure I could live without them.
However…I can’t live without one very special side dish. Spinach, artichoke, and brie stuffing! I started making it about 3 years ago, and I now dream about it on a regular basis. It is delicious…and it features spinach and artichokes – so that makes it healthy, right???
You start by sauteeing some onions with garlic and spices, and then adding chopped artichoke hearts…
Add some cubed day-old French baguette, spinach, Brie, and some grated parmesan..
Add it to a 9×13″ baking dish, and start drooling, because it already smells great…
Remove it from the oven after an excruciating hour-long bake…and then attempt to not immediately plunge a fork into the dish…although I admit that I don’t have the ability to resist…
Make this…seriously. Then come back and thank me later…
Spinach, Artichoke, and Brie Stuffing
*adapted from Emeril Lagasse
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2½ pounds frozen spinach, (3 cups cooked, drained, and roughly chopped)
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 2 tablespoon roughly chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Emeril's Italian Essence, or other Italian seasoning blend
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 1¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 3 (8½-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, any tough outer leaves removed
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups fat free half and half (or regular half and half or heavy cream)
- 2 cups chicken stock (chicken broth can also be used)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 12 to 14 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old French bread (about 2 loaves)
- ½ pound Brie, rind removed and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Steam the frozen spinach in a microwave-safe container. Let cool. Once cool, squeeze as much water from spinach as possible, then roughly chop and reserve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 2 teaspoons of Italian Essence, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
- Combine the eggs, half and half, chicken stock, lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon Italian Essence, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the bread, spinach, artichoke mixture, brie, ¼ cup Parmesan, and parsley and stir to combine. If bread does not absorb all of liquid immediately then let rest until this happens, about 20 minutes.
- Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup Parmesan over the top and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve warm.
ooh that looks good, i’m gonna have to try that!
Ohhhh yum. Yum, yum, yum. This looks absolutely delicious — I’m going to have to try this recipe!
I’ve been waiting for this since you talked about it at Thanksgiving. Yum! Thanks!
Omg. Just the title alone makes me drool.
I need this in my belly IMMEDIATELY.
I make Emeril’s version every year. Now I’ll be making yours! It’s definitely a must in our house. I just wish the cost of all the items weren’t so prohibitive. I would make it more often.