Turkey Stuffing With Spicy Chicken Sausage
California Thanksgiving
- Course: Side Dish
- Features: Holiday (Thanksgiving)
Summary:
It would not be Thanksgiving without stuffing. For ease and safety, this one is baked in an ovenproof casserole dish. To get that stuffed-in-bird taste, flavor a basic turkey or chicken broth with the chilled, jellified and defatted pan juices from a roasted turkey or roasted turkey parts.
MAKE AHEAD: Day-old or stale bread works best here; or, the night before you make stuffing, you can cut a loaf of rustic bread into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange them on a baking sheet and leave them uncovered, overnight, at room temperature to dry out.
12 to 16 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large (2-pound) loaf dairy-free rustic bread, preferably stale (see headnote)
- 7 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 chilled (uncooked) spicy chicken sausage links (about 1 1/4 pounds total; casings removed as needed), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 medium sweet onions, cut into small dice (about 3 cups)
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium fennel bulb (outer layer removed), cored and cut into small dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 ribs celery, rinsed, trimmed and cut into small dice
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 12 mushrooms (stemmed if desired), cut into thin slices
- Leaves from 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, rinsed, dried and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
- Leaves from 1 small bunch sage (about 3/4 ounce), cut into ribbons
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 to 1 cup homemade or no-salt-added turkey or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup turkey gelatin (defatted pan juices; see headnote)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Use a serrated knife to cut the stale, dried-out bread slices into 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake (lightly toast) them for about 15 minutes or until slightly crisped but not browned. Transfer the toasted dried bread cubes to a large mixing bowl to cool.
Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat.
Add the sausage cubes; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until browned and crisped. Transfer, along with their rendered fat and the oil, to a medium bowl.
Heat an extra-large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of the oil, the onions and garlic. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are mostly translucent, then add the fennel and celery. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant and softened.
Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the mushrooms; cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their moisture, are tender and are starting to brown. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use nonstick cooking oil spray to grease a 10-by-15-inch ovenproof glass baking dish. (The glass makes it easy to see when the bottom and sides of the stuffing are done.)
Add the parsley, sage, pecans and apricots to the onion mixture in the skillet, stirring to combine, then add the mushrooms and the cooked sausage and all of its drippings, stirring to incorporate.
Add the sausage-vegetable mixture to the toasted bread cubes in the bowl and toss to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Whisk together the broth (as needed) and the gelatin in a liquid measuring cup, then pour over the mixture in the bowl. Toss to combine, then transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Serve warm.
Recipe Source:
From California cooking instructor Linda Capeloto Sendowski.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
(Dayna Smith for The Washington Post; tableware from Crate and Barrel)
