Seashore Black Rye and Quinoa Stuffing With Hazelnuts

Ditch those dodgy cubes of bread from the grocery store and make a whole grain stuffing from ancient grains and quinoa!  One of the things I've always hated about most stuffing is that it's devoid of real texture. This has a delightful crunch and loads of texture thanks to the quinoa and from using whole steal cut grains. The texture is somewhere between pilaf and stuffing but in a good way, and leftovers are amazing. Unlike traditional bread stuffing it doesn't get gummy in the fridge.

Nutty and delicious, the Seashore Black Rye has earned a place in the Slow Food Ark of Taste. Drought tolerant and heat resistant it was planted by the Mendocino Grain Project in Northern California who has specially milled it just for Foodocracy as a cracked whole grain which will make a delicious addition to all of your fall cooking.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, diced small
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 celery stalks, diced small
• 2 carrots, diced small
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cup Steal Cut (or cracked) Seashore Black Rye
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 3 cups stock plus 1/2 cup (turkey, chicken or veggie)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts 

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes, add the carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. 
2. Add butter and stir until melted.
3. Add the Seashore Black Rye and sauté for 2 minutes to toast the grains a bit before pouring in 2 cups of stock. Add the quinoa and seasonings, stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Stir the stuffing to fluff it up, adding the remaining 1/2 cup of stock and hazelnuts.
5. Spread the stuffing in an oven safe dish and bake at 375 until the top is golden brown and the edges are crisp. Top with additional fresh thyme leaves before serving.