Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing Chestnuts were plentiful in the eastern and central parts of North America, eaten widely by native Americans. In fact, for centuries the American Chestnut was a dominant tree in deciduous forests in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Ingredients: 1 (14 oz.) bag of your favorite herbed stuffing mix 1 ½ sticks butter Approx. 2 dozen roasted chestnuts, peeled and coarsely chopped (enough for 2 cups). These can be purchased at any grocery store at this time of year. Usually in the produce aisle, in the bulk foods section. 1 tube bulk breakfast sausage, regular flavor 3 ribs celery, finely chopped 3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley Kosher salt to taste Freshly cracked black pepper taste Your own turkey broth, approx. 2 ½ cups (but remember, go by eye). Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Slit chestnuts with the grain of the shell on their flat sides with a sharp knife and then roast, preferably on a grate set close over charcoal, turning occasionally until they split open. Don’t worry if the shells get a little charred. The smoky flavor you get makes this extra effort worth it. Wrap the hot chestnuts in a clean kitchen towel and allow to steam a bit, which will make peeling easier. Peel chestnuts carefully, you don’t want any of the rough bran layer, just the sweet meat. Chop the chestnuts coarsely and set aside. In a skillet, brown the sausage meat, breaking it up fairly small as you go. Drain the excess fat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Next, sauté the onions and celery in one stick of the butter until translucent. Allow to cool a bit. In a large mixing bowl, add the stuffing mix, onions and celery, parsley, chestnuts, and sausage. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine well. Now begin to ladle on the broth, tossing as you add, to moisten the stuffing to where you want it. If it’s going in the bird, make it a bit on the dry side. Otherwise, place stuffing in a baking dish, adorn with the rest of the butter and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a bit crispy. * Farmers Almanac
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 12:02:19 +0000
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