Roasted Chestnut Fig And Cornbread Stuffing Recipes

CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Spread bread cubes in single layers on baking sheets. Let dry at room temperature, uncovered, overnight.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add chestnuts; cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain; let cool slightly. Peel and quarter chestnuts; set aside. Peeled chestnuts can be refrigerated in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery; cook, stirring, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage; cook 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup stock; cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Add remaining 4 1/2 cups stock, the chestnuts, bread, salt, and parsley; season with pepper. Toss to combine. If not stuffing turkey, transfer to a buttered 17-by-12-inch baking dish. Cover; bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until hot and golden brown, 30 minutes more.

CHESTNUT-AND-SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• Let bread cubes stand on a baking sheet at room temperature 3 hours to dry.
• Lay each chestnut flat on a work surface, and cut an X in the pointed tip of shell with a paring or chestnut knife. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Boil chestnuts 2 minutes; remove pot from heat. Remove chestnuts with a slotted spoon; peel away shells. Quarter nutmeat; transfer to a large bowl. Add bread.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split sausages; scrape meat into a large saute pan set over medium heat; crumble with a fork. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add oil; swirl pan. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 15 to 17 minutes. Add to bread mixture.
• Add wine to pan. Scraping up any brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon, cook over medium heat until wine is reduced by half. Add to bread mixture.
• Add stock to bread mixture; toss. Add thyme, sage, and parsley. Add the salt, and season with pepper. Stir in eggs.
• To bake stuffing: Place stuffing in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. To cook in turkey: Stuff as directed. Place remaining 5 cups stuffing in a buttered 8-inch square baking dish; bake as directed above.

CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, cut slits in the surface of the chestnuts. Place chestnuts in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain, peel, and chop.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chestnuts, onion, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, and cook until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium baking dish, and mix with the cubed bread.
• In a small bowl, beat together eggs and milk, and drizzle over the cubed bread mixture.
• Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until surface is crisp and lightly browned.

HOLIDAY HENS WITH FIG GLAZE AND CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Begin by re-hydrating the figs. In a large mixing bowl add the figs, honey, lemon juice and cover with warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 to 25 minutes until the figs are tender and soft. Strain the figs and reserve the liquid - as this will be the base for the glaze.
• To make the stuffing, heat a little extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat and gently saute the onions with rosemary. Add the sweet Italian sausage and continue to saute until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. When done, scrape it all into a large mixing bowl, add the cornbread pieces and figs and season well with salt and pepper. Give it a good toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and set it aside while you work on the hens.
• Wash and clean the birds. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and fill with stuffing. Dot the top of each bird with butter and season with salt and pepper. Lay out on a roasting tray and pop into the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While they are roasting, set the fig liquid over medium-high heat and add balsamic and butter. Reduce until syrupy and baste the birds with 10 minutes to go. When done, an instant-read thermometer should registers 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

CORN BREAD AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread on large baking sheet. Bake until dry but not firm, about 25 minutes. Cool. Coarsely crumble into very large bowl. Maintain oven temperature.
• Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery; sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add to corn bread. Mix in 2 1/4 cups broth and herbs. Stir in chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in egg. Add up to 1/2 cup more broth if stuffing seems dry.
• Transfer to prepared dish. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to brown, about 30 minutes longer.

SAUSAGE, CHESTNUT AND FIG STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Sauté sausage in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and cooked through, breaking into small pieces with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shallots and celery to skillet and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in figs, 1/2 cup chicken broth, brandy and thyme and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until figs are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Mix 4 cups breadcrumbs, chestnuts and sausage mixture in large bowl. Stir in remaining § cup chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake stuffing 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake stuffing until top begins to brown, about 10 minutes longer.