Holiday Stuffing with Kimchee, Red Pepper and Scallions
Recipe courtesy of Nick Ritchie, Signature Kitchen Suite
*Chef’s Note: This stuffing can be made with any type of bread you prefer to use. Sourdough, cornbread, brioche, whole wheat, plain white bread and even leftover croissants are all great options.
Ingredients
8 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
½ tbsp ginger, minced
1 ½ cups of kimchee, chopped
½ cup sliced scallion tops and bottoms
½ cup celery, minced
1 tbsp Korean gochujang (red chili paste)
¼ cup brandy or cognac
1 ½ - 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 melt the remaining butter, add ginger, scallion and celery. Sauté on medium heat until soft. Add red chili paste and the chopped kimchee. Continue to cook until well combined. Add brandy and remove from the heat. Toss kimchee mix into the 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 mixture into an oven-proof casserole, baking dish or individual ramekins.
Bake uncovered until golden brown on top and slightly firm, about 30-40 minutes maximum depending on the vessel used. Garnish with more sliced scallions if desired.
**For both quality and food safety reasons I prefer to cook the stuffing separately as opposed to stuffing the actual turkey.