Pine Nut And Leek Stuffing Recipes

LEEK & FREEKEH PILAF WITH FETA & TOASTED PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Finely slice the leeks, keeping all the dark green tops. Put in a colander and rinse well under running water, then set aside to drain.
• Put a large heavy-based pan on the hob over a moderate heat, pour in 2 tbsp of the oil and tip in the leeks. Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook the leeks for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft.
• While the leeks cook, soak the freekeh in a bowl for 5 mins in plenty of cold water. Tip it into a sieve and rinse under running cold water, then drain well.
• Add the freekeh to the leeks along with the wine, stock and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cook the freekeh over a low heat, stirring from time to time, for 20-25 mins. Switch off the heat and let the contents of the pan stand while you prepare the feta and pine nuts.
• Heat the remaining tbsp oil in a frying pan until hot, add the garlic and pine nuts, and cook until both the nuts and the garlic are lightly browned. Crumble the feta and toss this along with the garlic-nut mix, the mint and lemon juice and zest into the freekeh. Taste and correct the seasoning, then serve at room temperature.

PINE NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat the broth, black pepper, celery and onion in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Add the stuffing and pine nuts. Mix lightly.
• Put into deep baking dish and top with butter. Bake in oven at 375°F until browned and slightly crispy on top.

PINE NUT AND LEEK STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet, and toast 5 to 7 minutes or until barely golden.
• Melt butter in a large skillet. Add leeks and celery, and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until softened. Add pine nuts, and cook a few minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and add bread cubes, herbs, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Toss well and adjust seasoning.
• Reduce oven to 325ºF. Transfer stuffing to baking dish, and bake 20 minutes until heated through and lightly browned on top.

BUTTERED STUFFING WITH CELERY AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Using your hands, tear bread, crust and all, into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. (Alternatively, you can cut the bread with a knife, but I prefer the way the craggy bits toast and soak up the goods.) Place chunks on a rimmed baking sheet, and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. If you're short on time, you can toast the chunks in a 300-degree oven instead, tossing occasionally, until lightly crisped, but not browned, on the outside.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine olive oil and 4 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the garlic and leeks. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are bright green and totally softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until bright green and tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add white wine, and cook until reduced by about three-quarters, 3 to 4 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes, if using, and remove from heat.
• Whisk together broth and eggs in a medium bowl. Place bread in a large bowl (you want a lot of room for mixing, so go big), and add the leek and celery mixture, parsley, chives and marjoram. Stir to coat so that everything is evenly distributed, trying not to totally crush the bread. Pour the egg mixture over everything and toss a few times. Let sit a minute or two and give another toss. Repeat twice until all the liquid has absorbed and evenly distributed to each and every piece of bread.
• Transfer mixture to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish (a 9-by-13 pan also works), making sure not to pack it too tightly. (You want to keep the bread in the stuffing as light as possible.) Dot the top with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, making sure to pay extra attention to the corners, where the stuffing will get the crispiest.
• Cover with foil and bake until the stuffing is sizzling at the edges and completely cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. If it's not yet time to serve, remove stuffing from oven and set aside. (If you are nearly ready to serve, proceed directly to the next step and continue without pausing.)
• When ready to serve, remove foil and increase temperature to 425 degrees. Bake stuffing until crispy, crunchy and impossibly golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter with celery leaves, if using, and serve.

SPINACH AND PINE NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat ovent to 400°F.
• Put pine nuts in baking dish and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and add a pinch of salt.
• Add rice, stir once and boil, uncovered, until tender, about 14 minutes; check by tasting.
• Drain, rinse with cold water and leave to drain in strainer 5 minutes.
• In large saucepan, boil enough lightly salted water to cover spinach generously.
• Add spinach and cook, uncovered, over high heat, pushing leaves down into water often, until very tender, about 3 minutes.
• Rinse with cold water in colander and squeeze by hand until spinach leaves feel dry.
• Chop finely with a knife.
• In skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
• Add onion and pinch of salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low, add garlic and cook a few seconds. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
• Into bowl, place rice, spinach, onion mixture, egg, nutmeg and pine nuts. Mix well.
• Taste; add more salt, pepper and nutmeg, if needed.

FENNEL, PROSCIUTTO AND PINE NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Transfer to large bowl. Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add onions and fennel bulbs and seeds; sauté until onions soften but fennel bulbs are still crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in prosciutto, pine nuts, parsley, marjoram and lemon peel. (Bread and fennel mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature; refrigerate fennel.) Add fennel mixture to bread. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
• To bake stuffing in turkey:
• Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten lightly (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter glass baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• To bake all of stuffing in baking dish:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with butter foil, buttered side down; bake until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.