Apple Fennel Stuffing Recipes

APPLE-FENNEL STUFFING

Steps:

• Make Classic Stuffing with potato bread. Use diced fennel bulb instead of celery. Cook 1 cup each chopped apples and dried cranberries with the onions and fennel.
• Classic Stuffing: Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes. (Or stuff in your turkey and bake.)
• Photography by Charles Masters

FENNEL-SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large deep skillet, saute 1/2 pound crumbled sweet Italian sausage in 6 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 diced fennel bulb, 1 diced onion, and 1 tablespoon each chopped sage and thyme; cook 5 minutes, then add 1 diced peeled apple and cook 2 minutes. Pour in 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth. In a large bowl, mix 2 eggs and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Add to the bowl 16 cups toasted white bread cubes and the hot broth mixture. Gently toss the stuffing, then spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter or turkey pan drippings, cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.

APPLE-FENNEL STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, apples, cranberries, sage and thyme and cook 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Beat eggs with parsley in a large bowl. Add cubed bread. Pour vegetable-broth mixture in bowl and toss. Transfer mixture to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLE FENNEL STUFFING

Steps:

• To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onion and celery for 3 minutes, until slightly tender.
• Stir in the apple, jelly, fennel seeds, salt and pepper.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs.
• Cut the tenderloins lengthwise but do not cut right through; the meat should open like a book.
• Between sheets of waxed paper, lightly pound the meat with a cleaver or rolling pin to flatten slightly.
• Spread the stuffing down the cut side of the meat.
• Fold the narrow ends of the tenderloins into the stuffing and fold the sides together, gently shaping into a round shape.
• Wrap the bacon slices around the outside and secure with metal skewers or string.
• Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for about 50 minutes or until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.
• If crisp bacon is desired, broil briefly.

BACON, APPLE AND FENNEL STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Toast until light golden and crisp around edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine bacon and 4 cups water in large saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
• Drain, discarding liquid. Place bacon in large roasting pan. Pour 2 cups chicken broth over. Roast until broth evaporates and bacon begins to crisp around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 cup water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until water evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; sauté until onions are soft, about 5 minutes longer.
• Remove roasting pan with bacon from oven; reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Mix cooked onions, apples, fennel, and celery into bacon in roasting pan. Roast until apples and all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store toasted bread in large resealable plastic bags. Chill bacon-apple mixture uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2- inch glass baking dish. Combine toasted bread, 3/4 cup chicken broth, and baconapple mixture in very large bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix in eggs, then 1/2 cup parsley. Add more chicken broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil; bake 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is browned, about 30 minutes longer. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.