Ingredients:
- 8 cups (about 1 standard loaf) stale sourdough or Italian bread cubes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 oz large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 oz sea scallops, rinsed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 8 oz lump crab meat (check carefully for shells)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1½ cups seafood stock (or chicken stock if unavailable)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (additional, for finishing)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes for a slight kick
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast lightly for 8-10 minutes until dry but not browned; transfer to a large bowl.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion, celery, and red bell pepper for 4-5 minutes until softened; add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute.
- Deglaze with ½ cup dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in seafood stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add shrimp and scallops into the skillet; sauté for about 2 minutes until they begin to turn opaque. Gently fold in the crab meat.
- Remove from heat, season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir in heavy cream and mix well. Toss the mixture over the bread cubes and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the stuffing into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, dot with remaining butter, and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.
- Remove from oven, let stand for 5 minutes, garnish with extra parsley, and serve hot.