Ronnie's Notes
I always make three stuffings at our Thanksgiving dinner: my Mom’s famous “filling” which is basically mushrooms, onions and celery mixed with barley shaped egg noodles and eggs PLUS the old, beloved Chestnut-Sausage recipe that, if I didn’t make, Ed and my kids would march out in protest, PLUS a new one which I change every year, just because, why not?
This year the new version will be this one with hazelnuts. My decision was based partly on Hurricane Sandy. I lost power for 6 days and had to discard a lot of food. But as I was cleaning out the freezer I discovered a perfectly good a container full of hazelnuts, so why not use them up?
When I make a stuffing with nuts in it I like the idea of adding fruit too. The sweet taste is a good balance for the savory, salty ingredients. Fruit also adds texture, which I think is very important in a good stuffing. This version has two kinds: chewy dried figs and crisp, tender fresh apple, both play against the crunch of the hazelnuts.
I make my stuffings a day or two ahead and cook them in a casserole dish, but you can actually use this one as a stuffing, right inside the bird (cut down on the stock in the recipe). I try to use a shallow dish, because we like stuffing crunchy and a shallow dish gives you more surface area to brown. For moister stuffing outside the bird, use a deep casserole.
BREAD STUFFING WITH FIGS AND HAZELNUTS
Instructions
Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for .
Add the apple, figs and raisins and cook for another .
Spoon the mixture into a large bowl.
Add the nuts, bread cubes, parsley, rosemary and thyme and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly.
Pour in the stock (*1 cup if you cook the stuffing inside the bird; 2 cups if you bake the stuffing separately or prefer a moister stuffing).
Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the bird OR place the ingredients in a casserole.
To cook outside of the bird: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover the casserole.
Bake for .
Remove the cover and bake for another or until the top is browned and crispy.