Holiday Stuffing with Dried Fruit and Sage
Recipe courtesy of Nick Ritchie, Signature Kitchen Suite
Servings: 4-6
*Chef’s Note: This stuffing can be made with any type of bread you prefer to use. I love to use Italian panettone, which is a rich brioche-type fruit bread traditionally served throughout the holidays in Italian households and restaurants. It is also a pleasant reminder of many holiday seasons spent working in Italian restaurant kitchens enjoying warm panettone for breakfast. Sourdough, cornbread, brioche, whole wheat, plain white bread and even leftover croissants are all great options.
Ingredients
8-10 cups (approx. 1 lb.) bread of your choice, roughly cubed to ½ inch
½ stick sweet butter
1 bunch fresh sage, leaves minced
Salt and pepper
¾ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I like a combination of whole raisins, cranberries and chopped apricots)
¾ cups minced yellow onion
½ cup minced celery or fennel
½ cup minced carrot
Up to 2 cups chicken stock
2 eggs, optional (use if you like to bake a firmer stuffing)
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Add the cubed bread and half of the sage to a large bowl. Melt half of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and continue to cook until light brown. Pour the butter over the bread and toss gently to mix. Spread out on a cookie sheet and place in the oven until light brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place back into the bowl.
Meanwhile, place the dried fruit in a large bowl; add boiling water to cover and then set aside for at least 10 minutes. This will plump and soften the fruit for cooking. Drain fruit once plumped. This can also be done well ahead of time.
Melt the remaining butter and add onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté on medium heat until soft. Add dried fruit and any remaining sage. Toss into cooled croutons. Gently toss and add chicken broth to moisten; add more broth if you like a softer stuffing. Stir in beaten eggs now, if using. Adjust salt and pepper, to your liking. Pour into an oven-proof casserole, baking dish or individual ramekins.
Bake uncovered until golden brown on top and slightly firm, about 30-40 minutes depending on the vessel used.
**For both quality and food safety reasons I prefer to cook the stuffing separately as opposed to stuffing the actual turkey.