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Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 12; makes about 10 cups (enough for one 16- to 18-pound turkey)

Ingredients

1

loaf day-old rustic Italian bread (about 1 pound), trimmed of crust and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 8 cups)

1

pound fresh chestnuts

1

pound sweet Italian sausage

1

tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2

medium onions, finely chopped

4

celery stalks, finely chopped

4

garlic cloves, finely chopped

1

/2 cup dry white wine

1

/2 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1

tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2

tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2

tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2

teaspoons coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

2

large eggs, lightly beaten

Unsalted butter, for baking dish

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Let the bread cubes stand on a baking sheet at room temperature 3 hours to dry.

    Step 2

    Lay each chestnut flat on a work surface, and cut an X in the pointed tip of the shell with a paring or chestnut knife. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Boil the chestnuts 2 minutes; remove the pot from the heat. Remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon; peel away the shells. Quarter the nut-meat; transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread.

    Step 3

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Split the sausages; scrape the meat into a large sauté pan set over medium heat; crumble with a fork. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add the oil; swirl the pan. Add the onions, celery, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 15 to 17 minutes. Add to the bread mixture.

    Step 4

    Add the wine to the pan. Scraping up any brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon, cook over medium heat until the wine is reduced by half. Add to the bread mixture.

    Step 5

    Add the stock to the bread mixture; toss. Add the thyme, sage, and parsley. Add the salt, and season with pepper. Stir in the eggs.

    Step 6

    To bake the stuffing: Place the stuffing in a buttered 9 × 13-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove the foil. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. To cook in a turkey: Stuff as directed (page 379). Place remaining 5 cups stuffing in a buttered 8-inch-square baking dish; bake as directed above.

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Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.