Everything but the Kitchen Sink Stuffing
by LAUREN GROVEMAN
Yield: serves 14 to 18This stuffing is not just my very own favorite, it was the hit of the day when I was teaching a Thanksgiving class to a group of Japanese women for the CBS "This Morning" show. Although most recipes recommend the use of stale bread for stuffing, I've never agreed with this concept. Stale bread just tastes stale, so instead I cut a variety of fresh breads into cubes and dry them in the oven to obtain the proper consistency. The bread cubes are then combined with loads of sautéed vegetables and chestnuts, selected herbs and even sausage and cranberries, if you like. If you're concerned about the generous amount of butter, see my reduced-fat variation. But if you're celebrating an annual holiday, to enjoy the stuffing's fullest flavor, I would leave it as it stands. Naturally, this stuffing is also wonderful baked inside a turkey. (See: "Tips from a Teacher.")
Special Equipment:
8-quart mixing bowl or pot to combine stuffing
8-quart oven-to-table baking dishIngredients:
20 cups bread cubes (assorted breads such as homemade-type white, whole wheat, soft rye, and Italian with sesame seeds, with crusts)
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms and 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms [If fresh shiitakes are not available, use mostly button mushrooms and 2/3 ounce (rounded 1/2 cup) dried shiitakes or porcini mushrooms.]
2 sticks (1/2 pound) lightly salted butter, plus butter for baking dish
3/4 pound fresh chestnuts toasted, peeled and cut into small cubes or 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely chopped shelled pecans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean chicken-veal sausage or sweet Italian sausage (both optional, but highly suggested), removed from casings
2 to 2 1/2 cups Rich Chicken Stock or (only if necessary) "Doctored" Canned Chicken Broth
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, cleaned, trimmed and minced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme
2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 rounded teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (optional), rinsed, picked over, drained and chopped, or thawed frozen cranberries
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1) To toast bread cubes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast bread cubes in batches on a shallow baking sheet in a single layer until light golden, about 15 minutes. (If using dark baking sheets, the bread will toast faster.) Turn off oven and let the cubes sit there until dry, 20 to 30 minutes. Then transfer them into an 8-quart mixing bowl or a large pot.2) To prepare mushrooms: Clean fresh mushrooms; trim stems of button mushrooms and remove stems from shiitakes. Then slice thinly. If using dried mushrooms, reconstitute them as directed in my book; strain and reserve 1/2 cup soaking liquid.
3) To toast peeled chestnuts: Heat an 8- to 10-inch skillet over medium heat and, when hot, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. When hot and bubbling, stir in diced chestnuts or pecans and sauté, stirring constantly until chestnuts are golden brown and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
4) To cook sausage, if using: Heat a 10-to 12-inch deep-sided skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and, when oil is hot, add sausage, stirring to break up the meat using a fork or wooden spatula. Fry sausage until the exterior becomes brown but the inside is still pink. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to sausage and simmer until no longer pink and the stock is just about absorbed. Pour sausage into the bowl with bread cubes.
5) To sauté vegetables: Wipe out the interior of the skillet and return to medium heat. Melt 1 stick of the butter and, when hot and bubbling, stir in chopped onions, celery and garlic. Reduce heat and cook gently until vegetables are softened and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Raise heat, stir in chopped red pepper and sliced mushrooms. (If using reconstituted dried mushrooms, add them when red peppers are almost tender.) Cook vegetables until all are tender, about 5 minutes more. Just as they finish cooking, stir in parsley, thyme, oregano and sage. Heat for just a few seconds to release the flavor of the herbs. Remove from heat and pour vegetable-herb mixture into the bowl with the bread cubes and cooked sausage. Then add chopped cranberries, if using, and chestnuts.
6) To assemble fully: In a small saucepan, heat only 1 cup of the remaining stock (or 1/2 cup reserved mushroom liquid and 1/2 cup stock) with the remaining 5 tablespoons butter until stock is hot and butter is melted. Add to the stuffing, along with eggs. Fold all ingredients together to combine thoroughly. If you desire a moister stuffing, add the remaining 1/2 cup of stock. Season to taste with coarse salt and lots and lots of freshly ground black pepper -- grind until it hurts and then give it 2 more grinds!
7) To prepare casserole: Butter the interior of an 8-quart casserole dish and also butter the interior of the lid or the shiny side of a sheet of aluminum foil. Spoon stuffing mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the top with a little more coarse salt and grind on a bit more pepper; when cool, cover the dish. (If planning to stuff a turkey, see directions following this recipe.)
8) To bake and serve: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the covered stuffing for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until stuffing is piping hot throughout and the top is crusty and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve hot from the casserole at the table.
Reduced-Fat Variation
To reduce the overall saturated-fat content of the stuffing, omit butter when sautéing vegetables and stir the chopped vegetables into 1/4 cup hot extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil; when they are just beginning to soften, add 1/4 cup additional chicken stock and simmer until tender. You can also omit the 5 tablespoons of butter when assembling the stuffing or reduce to 1 or 2 tablespoons. Finally, you can use 1 whole egg and 3 extra-large egg whites and adjust the amount of stock to achieve correct consistency. If making these variations, I suggest using some extra dried mushrooms and including at least 1/2 cup of the strained reconstituting liquid. This will heighten the overall flavor of the stuffing so you'll be less likely to miss the richness of the butter. No need to reduce the amount of fresh mushrooms.
Time Management Tips:
The stuffing can be assembled totally 1 day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated. Bring close to room temperature before baking or adjust baking time to achieve the desired results. Do not stuff a turkey until just before roasting.
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Our POSTER is ANITA SANDS HERNANDEZ, Los Angeles Writer,researcher, humorist, mother of 4 and career Astrologer. Catch up with her websites TRUTHS GOV WILL HIDE & NEVER TELL YOU, also The FUTURE, WHAT'S COMIN' AT YA! FRUGAL LIFE STYLE TIPS, HOW TO SURVIVE the COMING GREAT DEPRESSION, and Secrets of Nature, HOLISTIC, AFFORDABLE HEALING. Also ARTISANRY FOR EXPORT, EARN EUROS....* Anita is at astrology@earthlink.net ). Get a FREE natal horoscope "my money/future life" reading now + copy horoscope as a Gif file graphic! No smarter, more accurate career reading out there!
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