An ordinarily demure tow-headed little me with pigtails sticking out on both sides of my head squats “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” style behind the kitchen counter. It’s Thanksgiving morning, the turkey sizzles in the oven and my mom stands at the counter making stuffing. The celery, onion, and carrot aromatics waft through the room like a fragrant bouquet; the aroma envelops me like my beloved security blankie. Although mom was not exactly Martha Stewart growing up, ours was not a Stove Top household. She made her home made stuffing once a year and it is my fondest Thanksgiving food memory.
My mom’s stuffing was special. In the prehistoric, pre-Food Network culinary conservative Midwest she added exotic ingredients like mushrooms, black olives, and sherry. It was my first exposure to how much depth of flavor wine and spirits could add to cooking. Picture a hungry lioness ravaging a helpless baby gazelle. That is how I gobbled down the stuffing when my blessed mother allowed me to sneak a few tasty morsels.
Thanksgiving is the most traditional of American holidays when it comes to food. There would be a Rikers Island riot at most tables if turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing were not on the menu. By using a little culinary creativity without reinventing the wheel, the home cook can revitalize the Thanksgiving table with unique flavor combinations. It is in this spirit that I hope you enjoy the following stuffing recipes.
Viva Italia Stuffing
INGREDIENTS
1 cup pine nuts
12 oz. frozen artichoke hearts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
1 cup finely diced peeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery stalks including leaves
1 cup finely chopped onion
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. hot mild or hot bulk Italian sausage
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 lb. day-old crusty artisan Italian bread, cut into 1” cubes
1 ½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup unsalted or low sodium chicken stock
2/3 cup chopped black olives
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
unsalted butter, for greasing pan
Serves: 8 -10 servings
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Place pine nuts on a baking sheet and roast until they smell nutty, about 6-9 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare artichoke hearts according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, a healthy pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cook until vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add Italian sausage and dried oregano. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add garlic and another pinch of salt and pepper; stir for about 30 seconds. Add wine; cook until wine evaporates. Turn off heat. Add parsley and thyme. Stir until well combined.
In large work bowl, combine bread cubes and cheese. Add pine nuts, sausage mixture, chicken stock, olives and butter. Stir gently until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings.
Grease a large baking dish or Dutch oven with butter. Transfer stuffing mixture to pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Wild Rice Stuffing with Mushrooms and Dried Fruit
This recipe is perfect for vegetarians, vegans or those with gluten sensitivities. For carnivores, add a pound of shredded cooked duck.
INGREDIENTS
Salad:
1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups wild rice
6 cups unsalted or low sodium vegetable or chicken stock (if gluten sensitive, use only stock that is home made or labeled gluten free)
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup unsalted butter or olive oil
1 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery stalks including leaves
1 cup finely chopped shallots
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
20 oz. assorted mushrooms (cremini, stemmed shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, porcini, portobello, etc.), thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup dried fruit (blueberries, tart cherries, cranberries, or pomegranate seeds)
unsalted butter or olive oil, for greasing pan
Serves: 12 -14 servings
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Place walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until they smell nutty, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside.
Wash and drain rice. Bring stock to a boil. Add rice and salt. Return to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until kernels puff open, about 55-60 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Drain off any excess liquid. Set aside in a large work bowl. If you prefer a chewier texture, shorten the cooking time.
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add carrot, celery, shallot, a healthy pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cook until vegetables soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and another pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add wine and cook until wine evaporates. Turn off heat. Add parsley, sage and thyme. Stir until well combined.
Add vegetable mixture to wild rice. Stir gently until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings.
Grease a large baking dish or Dutch oven with butter. Transfer stuffing mixture to pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes.
Serve immediately.
PSST:
Avoid freezing the Viva Italia stuffing. The freezing process makes the bread too mushy. Wild rice freezes well so the wild rice stuffing can be made ahead, frozen, thawed and reheated.
For those without the time, inclination or space to make home made cooking stocks, search out local butcher or specialty food stores. Cooking stocks are perishable by nature. For preservation purposes, manufacturers must either freeze them or add sodium to make them shelf stable. Many specialty shops opt for the freezing process. Purchase a frozen stock for more control over your food’s sodium content. However, whether for convenience or expense the frozen stock may not be an option. Read the nutritional label on the mass market shelf stable stocks and search out those with the lowest sodium content. Kitchen Basics unsalted chicken and beef stock and Pacific Natural Foods low sodium chicken and vegetable broths are some good choices.
---Authored by Wendy
Cornbread Stuffing with Jalapeno and Ham
This recipe can be made with or without jalapeno peppers.
Thanksgiving is all tradition and last year, I started my very own! The meal was well planned, or so I thought. I was in charge of the turkey, which I hate to admit, was bone dry. My mother tried a new recipe (an example of what not to do on a holiday) for scalloped sweet potatoes, which ended up being sliced sweet potatoes swimming in a pool of liquid. Honestly, I don’t remember what we ate for dessert because we were still ravenous and completely unsatisfied from the main course. It was the most appalling meal ever! My goal this year is simple: not repeat last year’s meal. I'm confident the flavor of this cornbread stuffing will help restore holiday tradition.
Serves: 8-10 servings2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onions (2 small onions)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
1 Tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz. ham links, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
day old cornbread (a 7x11 pan), cut into 1” cubes
1-1/2 cups corn
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Preheat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add butter and melt. Add onions, mushrooms, a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, jalapeno peppers, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Turn off the heat. Add ham links and rosemary to the vegetable mixture. Stir until well combined.
In a large bowl, combine cornbread, ham/vegetable mixture, corn and chicken stock. Stir gently until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings.
Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the pan. Bake for 30 minutes (the top should be lightly browned).
Serve immediately.
PSST:
Two boxes of Jiffy corn bread mix fits into a 7x11 pyrex pan. This would also pair well with chicken.
Great twists on an old favorite. This site is nicely done.
Posted by: Mike Shannon | 11/25/2009 at 08:26 AM