Wild Herb Stuffing Recipe

I'm preparing for the Christmas, festive, wintery season and making stuffing is on my mind. Warming, herby stuffing to accompany roasted meats. Or perhaps tweaking it to make almost a meal in itself for vegans and vegetarians.

Wild herbs such as ground ivy and mugwort are perfect for stuffing and I'm really pleased with the results of this recipe!

It's all about the filling (stuffing)!

Homemade stuffing is a highlight of Christmas dinner for me. Alongside simple flavours of roasted meats and vegetables. A good stuffing can compliment what's on my plate with flavourful herbs and wholemeal heartiness.

Growing up, my mum created a stuffing made with spelt (an ancient grain) bread, apricots and seeds. It almost felt like a meal in itself! This recipe is based on my memory of mum's stuffing, with some extra wild options too.

It's all about the filling (stuffing)!

Homemade stuffing is a highlight of Christmas dinner for me. Alongside simple flavours of roasted meats and vegetables. A good stuffing can compliment what's on my plate with flavourful herbs and wholemeal heartiness.

Growing up, my mum created a stuffing made with spelt (an ancient grain) bread, apricots and seeds. It almost felt like a meal in itself! This recipe is based on my memory of mum's stuffing, with some extra wild options too.

My choice of wild herbs

In winter I continue to forage for wild greens and herbs. I also look to my store cupboard to use herbs and wild flavours I've dried and preserved.

Ground Ivy

Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a very herbaceous smelling and tasting plant. Evocative of sage, it felt like a perfect match for stuffing. Traditionally sage is paired with fatty meats to help make them more digestible. Similarly, ground ivy has been used to treat indigestion.

I've written a whole blog about Ground Ivy if you'd like to find out more.

Mugwort

Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris) is another wonderfully scented herb. Beautifully aromatic, it has been used as a general tonic, appetizer and to strengthen and tone the stomach.

For this recipe I gathered mugwort leaves and flower buds at the end of summer and dried them. At this stage they have the strongest scent. I also gathered some later in the year in autumn and winter. Their colour has darkened and the scent is milder, but still great to use.

Wild Herb Stuffing Recipe

This recipe is easy to make, and uses good, old and dry bread and wild herbs of ground ivy and mugwort. You'll need to dry out the bread a few days beforehand. And I use herbs gathered in late summer, autumn and winter - so use what you have available.

Ingredients

• 300 g good spelt or wholemeal bread (250 g dried)
• 50 g dried black apricots (unsulphured)
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp oil (for frying)
• 1 tbsp butter (for frying) or 2nd tbsp oil
• 50-75 g cabbage and celery or combination of three-cornered leek and alexander stems
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• Tight handful of dried herbs (half ground ivy and half winter harvested mugwort)
• Extra tbsp fresh or summer harvested mugwort (optional)

Cut the bread into small cubes and lay out to dry in a warm place. Alternatively you can dry them out quicker in a warm oven (turned off) after it has been used for baking. Just leave the oven door ajar so the moisture can escape.

Related posts:

Wild Food: Ground Ivy Caramelised Sugared Almonds with Hogweed Seed Quick hogweed seed custard pots Raw Medlar Tart (vegan, sugar-free, grain-free)