Dried Fruit Stuffing Recipes

CRANBERRY-DRIED FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Toss with bread cubes in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing once, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Pour 1 cup boiling water over dried fruit in a bowl; stir to submerge. Set aside until fruit has softened, about 30 minutes. Drain; reserve soaking liquid.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, ginger, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft, about 15 minutes.
• Add onion mixture to bread cubes. Return skillet to medium heat. Add Marsala, and cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until liquid bubbles. Pour over bread mixture. Stir in dried fruit, 1/2 cup soaking liquid, walnuts if using, quinces, and cranberries. Stir in spices and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Stir in eggs.
• To cook stuffing in turkey: Stuff as directed (see Roast Turkey with Quince Glaze recipe). Spoon remaining stuffing into a buttered 8-inch square baking dish; dot generously with butter. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degrees oven until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. To bake all of the stuffing in the oven: Spoon it into a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish; dot generously with butter. Bake as directed above.

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.

TURKEY WITH FESTIVE FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery and onions in 1/2 cup butter until tender. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the stuffing cubes, apples, walnuts, raisins and cranberries. Stir in the egg substitute, salt, pepper and enough broth to reach desired moistness. , Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey with stuffing. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Melt remaining butter; brush over turkey. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 170°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.

FRUIT AND NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Place prunes, apricots, raisins, and currants in a medium bowl; pour bourbon over fruit. Cover with plastic wrap, and soak overnight.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat; add apples, onions, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and celery is tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; add nuts. Toast them, stirring constantly, until golden.
• Transfer sauteed onion mixture to a large bowl. Add brioche and broth; mix until incorporated. Add macerated fruit, toasted nuts, cranberries, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, parsley, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Using 2 large spoons or your hands, gently mix stuffing until evenly blended. Set aside while turkey is prepared for roasting.

MULTIGRAIN STUFFING WITH NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 3-quart baking dish. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, apples and thyme, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries and dried cranberries. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
• Whisk the eggs and parsley in a large bowl. Add the bread, then pour in the broth mixture and toss.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.

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.

FRUIT-AND-NUT CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, apple, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and sage and cook until softened, about 3 more minutes.
• Put the cornbread in a large bowl and add the vegetable-apple mixture. Add the pecans and dried fruit; toss to combine. Add 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup at a time, tossing after each addition. The cornbread should feel moist but not mushy; add 1 more cup broth ¼ cup at a time if needed. Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter and stir into the stuffing.
• Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Add the stuffing mixture and lightly press down. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is dry and browned, about 30 more minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

FRUIT AND NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the celery, apples and onions and cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, sage, thyme, fennel, salt and pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the skillet, cooking for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled mixture with the stuffing, apricots, cherries, pecans and beaten eggs and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
• Bake until golden brown on top, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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.

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 AND TOASTED NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and let stand overnight, uncovered, at room temperature. (Alternatively, bake bread in a 300-degree oven until dry but not browned, about 15 minutes.)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, carrot, and celery until tender and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer mixture to a large baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until top is golden brown and stuffing is firm, about 15 minutes more.
• Serve with Mushroom Gravy (optional).

MIDWESTERN WHOLE WHEAT DRIED FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Arrange bread slices on oven rack and bake until very dry but not brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer bread to very large bowl.
• Coarsely crumble bread. Mix in cherries, raisins, currants and prunes. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Add to stuffing. Mix in thyme. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Mix in eggs.
• To bake stuffing in turkey:
• Mix 3/4 cup broth into stuffing. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Mix 2 3/4 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.