Brandy Apricot Stuffing Recipes

APRICOT & SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• Peel and roughly chop the onions, wash the sage leaves in warm water.
• Place a large frying pan on a medium-high heat with the butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Tear in most of the sage leaves, then add the onions, the clementine zest, a good grating of nutmeg and a pinch of black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and fry for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onions start to soften.
• Meanwhile, trim the livers, if using, remove any sinews and roughly chop with the apricots, then stir into the pan. Once the time's up on the onions, pour in the Vin Santo, turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the alcohol has cooked away. Leave to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Whiz the stale bread to crumbs in a food processor then stir into the pan along with the sausage meat.
• Use your hands to squash and squidge everything until well combined. Put half of the stuffing mixture (around 500g) aside to stuff the neck and legs of your turkey, then pack the rest into an oiled baking dish (15cm x 20cm). Flatten the stuffing down and use your hands to almost tuck the edges into the dish to create a mound in the middle.
• Scatter over the reserved sage leaves and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil then bake for 50 minutes, or until cooked through, golden and bubbling.

BRANDY APRICOT STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly oil a 2 quart casserole.
• In a small saucepan; heat brandy and the apricots to boiling, stir well.
• Remove from heat and set pan aside.
• Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan, add the celery, onion and garlic, saute until lightly brown, about 2 minutes Add the brandy and apricots to the saute pan, cook until half the liquid reduces.
• Remove from heat and cool In a large mixing bowl, combine the brandy/ apricot sauce, stuffing cubes, vegetable or chicken broth, almonds, cranberries, thyme and pepper- taste to adjust seasonings, add whisked egg.
• Toss gently to mix Spoon into oiled casserole dish, cover with lid.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until throughly heated.
• Serve.

APRICOT BRANDY

Steps:

• Place ingredients (DO NOT MIX) in a 1/2 gallon flat topped glass jar.
• Turn jar twice a day for 8 days (allowing jar to sit on its top for half a day).
• Batch is ready.
• You may use the same apricots, more sugar, and vodka added to make another batch, but let second batch sit for 12 to 14 days.

SILVER PALATE GRAND MARNIER APRICOT STUFFING

Steps:

• Place the apricots and 1 cup of the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat and set aside. (If you simply must, simmer the giblets in a small saucepan covered with water for 5 minutes. When cool, remove and finely dice, discarding the liquid.).
• Melt ½ cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In the same skillet, cook the sausage, crumbling it with a fork, until it's no longer pink. Remove from heat and add to the celery & onion mixture.
• Add the stuffing mix, apricots with the liquid, the almonds (and the optional giblets.) Stir to combine.
• Heat the remaining 1/2 cup butter and chicken stock just until the butter melts. Pour over the stuffing mixture and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Grand Marnier. Stir well to moisten the stuffing, adding the thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake stuffing in a large buttered casserole at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
• If you insist, you'll have enough to stuff a 21-24 pound bird with a small extra casserole on the side.
• Note: I usually make just ½ recipe. The Grand Marnier is expensive. If not in your budget, you might substitute another orange flavored liqueur (even Southern Comfort works.).

ANY-ROAST APRICOT & PECAN STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and celery, and briefly cook until they start to soften. Stir in the apricots and garlic, and cook a few mins more. Add the pecans and nutmeg, and cook, stirring until the nuts are lightly toasted. Leave to cool.
• Stir in the breadcrumbs, mince, egg and herbs with 1 tsp salt and lots of pepper, then divide the mixture into 4, pack into bags and freeze. Will keep for 3 months.
• One batch will make 12 stuffing balls or can be used to stuff roast pork or chicken. Two batches will fill a 1lb loaf tin, lined with streaky bacon that can be sliced, while 2 - 3 will stuff a medium-to-large turkey.
• Cook at 200C/180C/gas 6 for 30 mins if rolling into balls, 45 mins if cooking in a loaf tin, or use to stuff the neck of your favourite roast bird, cooking for the same time as indicated in the recipe.

APRICOT & HAZELNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden. Remove from the heat, add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest. Mix in the egg and season. Use half to stuff the neck end of the turkey; shape the rest into balls.
• Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the turkey.