Chestnut Leek Apple Cranberry Stuffing Recipes

NEW ENGLAND SAUSAGE, APPLE AND DRIED CRANBERRY STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
• Sauté sausages in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Pour off any drippings from skillet. Melt butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to skillet; sauté until leeks soften, about 8 minutes. Mix in dried cranberries and rosemary. Add mixture to sausage, then mix in bread and parsley. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.
• TO bake stuffing in turkey:
• Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/3 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

CHESTNUT AND APPLE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. Arrange bread in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake until dried, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add apples; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; reserve saucepan.
• In same saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Remove from heat; set aside. To onion-apple mixture, add bread, sage, chestnuts, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Add half the broth and toss to combine. Continue adding broth and tossing just until stuffing is moistened but not wet.
• Place about 4 cups stuffing in turkey. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared baking dish; cover with buttered aluminum foil and refrigerate. When turkey is removed from oven, place covered baking dish in oven, and bake until warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

CHESTNUT, LEEK, AND APPLE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Bake bread cubes in a large 4-sided sheet pan in upper third of oven until dried slightly, about 15 minutes. (Alternatively, leave out to dry at room temperature 8 to 24 hours.)
• Increase oven temperature to 450°F.
• Meanwhile, wash leeks.
• Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, then cook leeks and celery, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add thyme, apples, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until apples are just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with bread, chestnuts, cream, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread in a 2 1/2-to 3-quart shallow baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered, in lower third of oven until heated through and top is golden, about 30 minutes.