Chestnut Prune Pancetta Stuffing Recipes

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.

CHESTNUT, PRUNE & 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 4 quart wide 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.
• Cooks' notes:.
• • Stuffing, without stock-and-egg mixture, can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir in stock mixture, then proceed with recipe.
• • Stuffing can be baked 6 hours ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, loosely covered. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 400°F oven until hot, about 30 minutes.

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.

PRUNE AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Soak the prunes for an hour in the port. Meanwhile, prepare the chestnuts. Make a slit in the top of each one with a sharp knife. Put them in boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water a few at a time with a slotted spoon. Wearing clean rubber gloves to protect your fingers, slip off the outer and inner skins while the chestnuts are still hot. Place the chestnuts in a large bowl.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the onion, garlic, celery and thyme. Cook without browning until the onion has softened. Add the chestnuts and the prunes with the port that they have been soaking in along with the stock, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add more stock if necessary.
• Stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper and stuff the mixture into the goose cavity. Sew up the cavity and truss the goose.

BACON, PRUNE AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the celery, onions, prunes, chestnuts, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture softens and starts browning, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
• Combine the bread and broth mixture in a large bowl and gently mix until all the bread is moistened. Stir in the beaten eggs.
• Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Add the stuffing and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.

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.