Fresh Ham Roasted With Rye Bread And Dried Fruit Stuffing Recipes

HERB STUFFING WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Cut or tear the bread into bite-size pieces. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into a single layer. Bake until slightly dry and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dried fruit, sage, thyme, apple, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.
• Add the toasted bread to the onion mixture and toss until evenly moistened. Stir in the egg. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and evenly spread without packing the stuffing down too much. Bake until the top is crusty, about 40 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle over the top. Continue to bake until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Garnish with parsley and thyme.

FRESH HAM WITH TUSCAN BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Place the ham on a large cutting board. Remove the bone, and butterfly the meat; reserve the bone. (Alternatively have your butcher do this.)
• Make the ham broth. Put the ham bone into a large stockpot. Add the carrots, onion, celery and sage. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the ham broth, uncovered. Skim frequently and cook until the broth has reduced to 2 quarts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and measure out 1 quart and set it aside. Freeze or refrigerate the remaining broth for another purpose.
• Meanwhile, prepare the ham and stuffing. In a medium bowl, soak the bread in the milk until it is soft, about 15 minutes. Squeeze the bread and put it in a large mixing bowl. Add the pine nuts, raisins, olives, garlic, spinach, Parmesan and mix.
• Lay the ham fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern, making each slash about 2-inches apart and 1/4-inch deep. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Combine the basil, thyme and parsley leaves in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and enough of olive oil to form a paste, about 1/2 cup. Rub the herb paste all over the ham.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lay the ham fat-side down. Place several cups of the bread stuffing in the center of the ham. Roll the ham into a log taking care that the stuffing is evenly distributed. (Remaining stuffing can be cooked in a baking dish for 40 minutes before serving.) Tie the rolled ham with kitchen string at 3-inch intervals.
• Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat in a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate the ham. Add the ham roll and brown it on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the ham and place a rack in the pan (or fabricate 1 from aluminum foil).
• Place the ham on the rack. Pour half of the stock into the pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and let the ham cook for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes or so with the pan juices. Add more stock if the pan seems dry. When the ham is tender remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent the ham with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the string and slice the ham about 2 inches thick. Serve with additional stuffing and polenta.
• Serving suggestion: polenta.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUITS STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the breadcrumbs, raisins, butter, chives, salt, apricots and lemon zest in a bowl. Beat together with a wooden spoon to form a smooth mixture.
• Loosen the skin on the breasts of the chicken using your fingers, then distribute the stuffing under the skin on each side.
• Place the chicken into a large saute pan and roast for 30 minutes.
• Baste the chicken with the fat from the pan. Return to the oven and cook until the thickest part of the leg reaches 160 degrees F, 30 minutes more.
• Rest the chicken for 20 minutes before carving.

RYE BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Toast bread chunks in two 4-sided sheet pans in oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Leave oven on.
• Meanwhile, cook caraway seeds in 6 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add celery, apples, onion, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and sauté until vegetables are softened and starting to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Add stock, scraping up any brown bits. Add mixture to bread cubes, tossing to coat.
• Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake, uncovered, in upper third of oven until stuffing is crisp on top, about 45 minutes.
• What to drink:
• Josmeyer Les Folastries Gewürztraminer '05

CORNBREAD STUFFING WITH FRESH AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Cut bread lengthwise into 1-inch-wide slices. Place on baking sheet; cover with kitchen towel and let dry overnight. Cut bread slices into 1-inch cubes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add apples and celery. sauté until celery begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Scrape contents of skillet into very large bowl. Add prunes, apricots, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and thyme; toss. Add dried bread cubes and toss until evenly combined. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Pour broth evenly over.
• Bake stuffing uncovered until heated through and top begins to form crust, about 40 minutes.

DRIED FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Slice bread and discard ends. Arrange bread slices on the rack of the preheated oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until very dry, about 15 minutes.
• While the bread is baking, melt butter in a heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Remove bread from the oven and crumble into coarse pieces in a large bowl. Add cherries, raisins, currants, and prunes; toss to combine. Mix in sauteed onions and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
• Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Coat a 12x16-inch piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray.
• Stir chicken broth into stuffing mixture and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with the aluminum foil, sprayed-side down.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until top is golden, about 20 minutes more.

RYE BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Toss bread cubes in a large bowl.
• In a skillet, cook and crumble sausage just until cooked thru.
• Remove to paper towels to drain.
• To same skillet, add onion, apples, celery, garlic and butter.
• Saute until apples and vegetables are tender.
• Add both the onion mixture and sausage to bread.
• Add nuts (if desired), seasonings and enough broth to moisten.
• Cover and refrigerate til ready to bake.
• Stuff turkey just before baking.
• Bake any additional stuffing separately in a greased 2 quart casserole dish.
• Or bake all stuffing separately in a greased 13x9x2 baking dish.
• To bake stuffing separately, place in greased dish, cover and bake at 325 degrees for one hour; uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer.

ROAST FRESH HAM WITH ONION STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spread pork flat; sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Heat water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan; add onions. Cook 5 minutes; drain. Mix onions and remaining ingredients. Spread half of the stuffing over pork; roll up. Fasten with metal skewers.
• Place pork fat side down on rack in shallow roasting pan. Spoon any remaining stuffing over top of pork. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in center of thickest part of pork and does not touch stuffing. Roast uncovered 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until thermometer reads 165°F.
• Cover pork with tent of aluminum foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 170°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5° and pork will be easier to carve as juices set up). Remove foil and skewers. Cut into slices.

DRIED FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place bread cubes in very large bowl. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery to skillet; sauté until vegetables are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add Sherry, figs, cherries, apricots, sage, thyme and rosemary; cook until fruit is tender and liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 7 minutes. Add to bread cubes; stir to blend. (Stuffing can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Add stock to stuffing; season with salt and pepper. Mix in beaten eggs.
• Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to crisp, about 25 minutes longer.