Chestnut Stuffing With Pancetta And Fennel Recipes

BRIOCHE CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Arrange brioche pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Let them dry out overnight, or place them in a 200-degree oven for an hour or two. (They'll be ready when they feel stale to the touch but haven't taken on any color.)
• Heat oven to 375 degrees, and butter a shallow, 2-quart casserole or gratin dish. On a pot on the stove or in the microwave, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Put bread in the prepared baking dish and toss with melted butter. Bake until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then transfer toast to a large bowl. (Don't wash the baking dish; you'll use it again for the stuffing.)
• In a 12-inch skillet, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until soft and just starting to brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in thyme and sage, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl with brioche. Gently fold in chestnuts and pepper and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups stock, eggs, parsley and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Fold gently into bread mixture, then scrape it all back into prepared baking dish. Drizzle on remaining 1 cup stock until the mixture is moist but not squishy; you may not need all the stock.
• Cover dish with foil and bake until lightly springy, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown, another 20 to 30 minutes.

CHESTNUT STUFFING WITH PANCETTA AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Cut the crusts off the bread and tear remaining loaves into 1-inch pieces; put into a large bowl. Toss with 2/3 cup olive oil. Spread on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast on staggered oven shelves in a preheated 400-degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until croutons are golden-brown and crispy on the outside but still a little soft and tender inside. Reverse baking sheets halfway through cooking time. Cool.
• Toast the fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the seeds release their aroma and turn a light golden brown. Coarsely grind the seeds with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the pancetta. Saute 1 to 2 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add rosemary sprigs and red-pepper flakes and cook one minute. Add onion, fennel, fennel seeds and thyme. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper. Saute about 8 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly caramelized. If making ahead, cool and refrigerate vegetables. Otherwise, add to the croutons and set aside.
• Return pan to high heat and pour in white wine. Bring to a boil and reduce by three-quarters. Add chicken stock or broth and bring to a boil. Pour hot liquid over croutons and vegetables, tossing well to combine. Stir occasionally so that the liquid that settles in the bottom of the bowl can be redistributed.
• Wipe pan out with paper towels, and return to the stove over medium heat. Swirl in 4 tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add chestnuts. Saute 4 to 5 minutes, until the chestnuts are golden and sizzling. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper; add to the stuffing. Stir to combine, and adjust seasonings if needed. Add eggs and parsley, toss well and put the stuffing into a 2 1/2 -quart casserole. Don't pile it too high - any that remains can be put into a smaller casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes in a preheated 375-degree oven. Remove foil and top stuffing with remaining butter cut into small pieces. Cook uncovered about 15 minutes or until crispy on top.

PANCETTA AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a small pot to a low simmer, then set aside over low heat.
• Add pancetta to a large low-sided pot or rondeau over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove pancetta from the pot and drain the fat, reserving 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add olive oil and heat to shimmering. Add the mushrooms and sear on all sides until golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt. Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar to deglaze the pot. Remove mushrooms from pot and set aside. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the same pot on high heat, then the celery, onions, carrot and chestnuts. Cook until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the tomato paste and cook until richly caramelized but not burnt, another 5 to 7 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with 2 cups of the chicken stock and add the reserved mushrooms. Cook until reduced by three-quarters, about 10 minutes. Season with thyme, salt, pepper and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and turn off the heat. Add 2 more cups of the hot chicken stock to the pot along with the bread, pancetta and the reserved pancetta fat.
• Let stand for 45 minutes, allowing the bread to absorb all of the flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If the stuffing seems dry, add the remaining cup chicken stock. Add the egg and fold to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with Parmesan and bake until a nice crust forms on top, about 25 minutes. Garnish with chives.

CIABATTA STUFFING WITH CHESTNUTS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

FENNEL, PEAR AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and fennel; cook, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the thyme and fennel seeds and cook 1 minute. Add the broth, dried pears and chestnuts. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pears begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Add the cubed bread, then pour the broth mixture on top. Stir to coat and evenly moisten the bread. Transfer to the baking dish and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Cover loosely with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until crisp and golden on top, about 20 more minutes.

CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Soak the stale bread in the milk in a large bowl for 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, onions, carrots and celery and cook 10 minutes until wilted.
• Drain the milk from the bread by pressing with your hands. Add the bread to a large bowl, then add the sauteed vegetables, egg, sage, parsley, grated orange rind and 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated and the stuffing is well blended. Add the chestnuts and mix well.
• Spoon into the prepared baking dish and shake into place with a rubber spatula. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese and cook an additional 20 minutes or until crispy on top.

CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, saute onion and fennel in 1/2 cup butter until tender. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in chestnuts, pear, broth, dried fruit, seasonings and remaining butter; cook until butter is melted. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until dried fruit is softened., Place in a large bowl. Stir in bread cubes. Whisk eggs and milk; drizzle over stuffing and toss to coat., Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. and a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

CHESTNUT, PRUNE, AND PANCETTA STUFFING

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Scatter bread in a single layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches) and toast, stirring once or twice and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a very large bowl.
• Cook pancetta in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add butter and heat until melted, then add celery and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in sage, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add pancetta mixture along with chestnuts and prunes to bowl containing bread. Whisk together stock and eggs, then stir into bread mixture until combined well. Transfer to baking dish (stuffing will mound above dish).
• Bake, loosely covered with a buttered sheet of foil (buttered side down) 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until top is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.

WHOLE WHEAT STUFFING WITH PANCETTA, CHESTNUTS, AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Toss bread cubes and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Spread in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake until bread cubes are golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then return bread cubes to same large bowl.
• Sauté pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp, adding oil if dry, about 6 minutes. Tilting skillet to allow pan drippings to accumulate at 1 end and using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to bowl with bread cubes. Add chestnuts and shallots to drippings in skillet; sauté until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add thyme and rosemary; stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl with bread. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Boil 3 cups broth in medium saucepan until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk eggs in another large bowl. Mix in cheese. Gradually whisk in broth. Pour broth mixture over chestnut-bread mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper and stir well.
• Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden brown and slightly crisp around edges, about 20 minutes longer.
• Peeled cooked chestnuts; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.