Herbed Bread Dressing
- Cuisine: American
- Course: Side Dish
- Features: Holiday (Thanksgiving), Kid-Friendly
Summary:
This fragrant dish is foolproof.
The dressing can be assembled, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before baking.
About 12 cups
Ingredients:
- 10 cups (about 1 pound) 1-inch cubes crusty country-style bread
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus additional for baking dish
- 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups turkey stock (or low-sodium chicken broth)
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast for 25 to 30 minutes or just until the bread is dry, shaking the sheet occasionally. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, thyme, sage and rosemary and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread cubes, vegetable mixture (with all of the butter), stock or broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Set aside, uncovered, to cool completely.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish.
Place the dressing in the dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes or until the dressing is heated through. For a crunchy top, uncover the dressing for the last half of the cooking. Add more broth if the uncovered dressing seems dry. Serve warm.
Recipe Source:
From the November 1999 issue of Gourmet magazine.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
