Gastronomy: Festive, Flavorful Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing
Because of the warm temperatures across the country, it's hard to imagine that the holiday season is upon us. With Thanksgiving a mere two weeks away, it's time to start thinking about your menu.
A Thanksgiving meal is not complete without the stuffing. With endless variations to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming. My recipe is a traditional sausage, chestnut stuffing—the original recipe, derived from William’s Sonoma. With a few changes over the years, I have made it my own. The sausage and chestnuts make it rich, moist, and earthy. Enjoy and happy holidays!
Sausage, Chestnut Stuffing
1 large loaf of sourdough or hard crusted Italian ciabatta.
5 T butter
1 finely chopped large shallot or half of a large onion
1 1/2 c rough chopped, mixed assorted mushrooms (about half button white)
1 1/2 c chopped, steamed chestnuts
1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
2 T finely chopped fresh sage
1 T finely chopped fresh thyme
4 T finely chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
3 c turkey or chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Dice bread into cubes and dry out on cookie sheets for at least 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Brown sausage in a large frying pan, remove from heat and drain oil. Set aside. In the same pan, melt butter. Sauté shallot over medium heat, until translucent, stirring not to burn. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper; sauté another 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add sausage and return to heat. Cook until lightly browned. Mix in thyme, parsley, and sage. Combine with the mushroom mixture. Add bread cubes and mix thoroughly together, adding stock a little bit at a time. The consistency should be moist, but not soggy. Place into 9 x 13 baking dish and cook for one hour until top is golden brown. Serves 12.
A Thanksgiving meal is not complete without the stuffing. With endless variations to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming. My recipe is a traditional sausage, chestnut stuffing—the original recipe, derived from William’s Sonoma. With a few changes over the years, I have made it my own. The sausage and chestnuts make it rich, moist, and earthy. Enjoy and happy holidays!
Sausage, Chestnut Stuffing
1 large loaf of sourdough or hard crusted Italian ciabatta.
5 T butter
1 finely chopped large shallot or half of a large onion
1 1/2 c rough chopped, mixed assorted mushrooms (about half button white)
1 1/2 c chopped, steamed chestnuts
1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
2 T finely chopped fresh sage
1 T finely chopped fresh thyme
4 T finely chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
3 c turkey or chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Dice bread into cubes and dry out on cookie sheets for at least 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Brown sausage in a large frying pan, remove from heat and drain oil. Set aside. In the same pan, melt butter. Sauté shallot over medium heat, until translucent, stirring not to burn. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper; sauté another 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add sausage and return to heat. Cook until lightly browned. Mix in thyme, parsley, and sage. Combine with the mushroom mixture. Add bread cubes and mix thoroughly together, adding stock a little bit at a time. The consistency should be moist, but not soggy. Place into 9 x 13 baking dish and cook for one hour until top is golden brown. Serves 12.
