Turkey is not one of my favourite things to eat.
It is, however, the perfect sidekick for one of the tastiest edibles on earth: stuffing. My mother’s standard turkey stuffing was a simple sage-flavoured breadcrumb concoction with onions and celery, and that’s the recipe I still use today (I’ve included a similar recipe below, though it’s cooked outside the turkey). But there are loads of other options.
Don’t forget to put some stuffing in the neck cavity as well as inside the bird. Once the turkey is cooked, let it stand for 15 minutes and then remove all the stuffing into a serving dish. Stuffing can also be cooked separately in a buttered baking dish, covered with foil for part of the cooking time, then uncovered to allow it to get crisp on top.
Simple Is Best Bread Stuffing
¾ cup butter
10 cups torn one-inch pieces of day-old good quality white bread
2½ cups chopped onion
1½ cups quarter-inch slices of celery
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (season generously)
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided use
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 250º F. Butter a nine-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside. Scatter bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried out, about one hour. Let cool then transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, melt three-quarters of a cup of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and celery. Cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add to bowl with bread; stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in 1¼ cups of broth and toss gently. Let cool. Whisk the remaining 1¼ cups of broth and the eggs in a small bowl.
Add to bread mixture and fold gently until thoroughly combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish; cover with foil and bake at 350º F for about 40 minutes, then remove foil and bake stuffing, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 40-45 minutes longer. Makes eight to 10 servings.
Source: epicurious.com
Sausage, Apple & Cranberry Stuffing
1½ cups whole wheat bread cubes (about half to three-quarter-inch)
3¾ cups white bread cubes (same size as above)
1 lb turkey sausages, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
¾ cup chopped celery
2½ tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp dried thyme
1 large Golden Delicious or Gala apple, cored and chopped
¾ cup dried cranberries
1⁄3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped (optional, simmer the giblets in water with a quartered onion until cooked through)
¾ cup turkey or chicken stock
4 Tbsp butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350º F. Spread all the bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about five to seven minutes. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage and onions until evenly browned, breaking up any lumps of sausage meat. Add the celery, sage, rosemary and thyme; cook and stir for about two minutes to blend flavours.
Pour the sausage mixture over the bread cubes; add the chopped apple, dried cranberries, parsley and turkey liver. Drizzle the stock and melted butter over top and mix lightly but thoroughly. Allow the stuffing to cool completely before stuffing it loosely into the turkey. Makes about 10 servings.
Source: allrecipes.com
Fruit, Nut & Rice Stuffing
2 Tbsp butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
¾ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup wild rice, rinsed
3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups long grain white rice
¾ cup chopped dried apricots
¾ cup chopped toasted almonds
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; cook onions, celery, thyme and bay leaf for five minutes or until softened. Stir in wild rice; add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Add the white rice and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes more or until rice and wild rice are tender and liquid is absorbed. Discard bay leaf. Stir in apricots, almonds, parsley, salt and pepper. Let cool completely before stuffing turkey. Makes eight servings.
Source: canadianliving.com
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. She can be reached via email at [email protected].
