Chestnut Bacon Cranberry Stuffing Recipes

BACON, PRUNE AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the celery, onions, prunes, chestnuts, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture softens and starts browning, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
• Combine the bread and broth mixture in a large bowl and gently mix until all the bread is moistened. Stir in the beaten eggs.
• Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Add the stuffing and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.

SAUSAGE & CRANBERRY STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the onion in the butter until soft but not browned. Add the breadcrumbs and stir so they soak up all the excess butter and fat. Let the mixture cool. Tip into a bowl with the sausagemeat, apple, cranberries, pistachios, sage and mixed spice. Mix well, then roll into balls. You can now cover and chill for up to a day before cooking.
• To cook, place in a roasting tin and bake for 40 mins, turning a few times, or until browned all over. Add the bay leaves, if using, for the final ten minutes of cooking.

CHESTNUT AND CRANBERRY STUFFING / DRESSING

Steps:

• Place bread and sausage in to a large bowl.
• In a large skillet saute the onions, the celery, the sage, the thyme, and the rosemary, in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened about 5 minutes, add the chestnuts, cranberries stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the vegetable mixture to the bread and sausage, tossing the mixture well, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, add as much broth just to soften and let the stuffing cool.
• Mix in eggs.
• The stuffing may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. (To prevent bacterial growth do not stuff turkey cavities in advance.).
• Makes enough to stuff a 12- to 14-pound turkey with extra to bake on the side.
• Or bake covered in a well buttered 15 X 10 X 2-inch glass baking dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes then remove foil for 15 minutes to crisp the top.

CHESTNUT & CRANBERRY ROLL

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then gently fry the onion for 5 mins until softened. Finely chop the apples either by hand or in a food processor.
• Squeeze the sausagemeat from the sausages into a large bowl, then add all the other ingredients, except the cranberries and streaky bacon. Season generously, then get your hands in and mix well. Weigh out 450g of the stuffing and mix a handful of the cranberries into it. Use to stuff the neck of the turkey (see 'Goes well with').
• To assemble, butter and season a large sheet of foil. Stretch out the bacon rashers slightly with the back of a kitchen knife, then overlap 12 rashers on the foil. Spoon half of the stuffing mix evenly over the bacon, leaving a border of about 3cm. Scatter with half the cranberries, then pat them in. Tuck the long edges of the bacon over the stuffing; then, using the foil to help, roll the stuffing up into a log shape. Repeat to make a second roll.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the foil-wrapped rolls onto a roasting tin and roast for 45 mins. Unwrap, draining off any juice, then finish roasting for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp.

CHESTNUT AND CRANBERRY DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 2 1/2 - 3 quart backing dish.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock until steam starts to rise, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add dried cranberries. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add onion, celery and carrots and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
• If using, in same pan, saute the sausage, stirring and crumbling with a fork, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with vegetables.
• In a large bowl, stir the egg while slowly pouring in the stock and cranberries. Add the bread and toss until well blended. Let standing, stirring occasionally, until the stock is absorbed, 6-8 minutes.
• Add the vegetable mixture, chestnuts, sage, thyme and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir well to mix. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake until browned and crispy, about 45-50 minutes.