Pancetta and Sage Stuffing Muffins with Bay Blue
Makes 12 Muffins
6 ½ cups of bread, cubed (about 1 loaf)
½ pound pancetta or bacon, diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced (about 1 medium yellow onion)
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
½ tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 oz Point Reyes Bay Blue, crumbled
Butter, for muffin tin
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter a 12-serving muffin tin and set aside.
Place bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes, or until barely toasted. Remove and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, cook the pancetta or bacon over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for about 7 minutes, until slightly browned and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving grease in pan. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, celery, leek, salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Transfer vegetables, pancetta/bacon, toasted bread, chicken stock, sage, parsley and about ¾ of the Bay Blue to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, as necessary. Add eggs, stirring to combine.
Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, transfer stuffing mixture to muffin tin, tightly packing the stuffing in each of the muffin cups. Top with remaining Bay Blue.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is browned. To remove, loosen the outer edge of each muffin with a butter knife then gently lift out of the muffin tin. Serve warm.
