Chestnut and Thyme Stuffing
- Cuisine: American
- Course: Side Dish
- Features: Holiday (Thanksgiving)
Summary:
This, a soulful, comforting stuffing, is particularly delicious with turkey. The deep, smoky flavor of roasted chestnuts enhances the flavor of the meat (light and dark).
Roasted, peeled chestnuts are available at larger stores and at Trader Joe's.
MAKE AHEAD: The stuffing may be assembled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 6 hours before filling the cavity of the bird.
Makes about 14 cups
Ingredients:
- 3 loaves slightly stale, good quality egg bread, trimmed of crusts and cut into cubes (about 3 pounds)
- 24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into large pieces
- 3 large onions, chopped (5 to 6 cups)
- 6 ribs celery, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons minced thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons snipped chives
- 1 teaspoon ground bay leaf
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups roasted, peeled chestnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins, plumped in 1/4 cup hot red vermouth for 10 minutes, and drained (water may be substituted for the vermouth)
- 2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 3 minutes; remove from the oven and cool slightly.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add onions and celery and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until vegetables are quite soft. Add the thyme, parsley, chives and bay leaf. Season with salt to taste; add the chopped chestnuts and raisins.
Use 2 cups of the broth to dampen the bread mixture (for a moist stuffing); reserve the last 3/4 cup of broth to pour over stuffing that has been turned into a bowl to bake alongside the turkey. (If you are baking all the stuffing separately, moisten bread mixture with the full 2 3/4 cups of broth).
At this point, the stuffing may be used to fill the cavity of the unroasted turkey, or it can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 6 hours.
Recipe Source:
From cookbook author Lisa Yockelson.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
