Stuffing with Apples, Sausage and Fennel
User Reviews
5
6 reviews
Excellent
Stuffing with Apples, Sausage and Fennel
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Our Stuffing with Apples, Sausage and Fennel is so good, we make it for (our friends and family demand it for) Thanksgiving every year. Like a savory bread pudding, it's moist and flavorful in the middle, with crispy brown sides and top. The flavor combination of rich breakfast sausages, sweet apples and fennel make this the Thanksgiving side dish we just can't do without.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound French bread or Brioche or Challah bread (but not sourdough, crusty
- 24 oz sausage defrosted if frozen, breakfast, links
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups leek white and pale green parts only, rinsed well (about 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fennel about 1 medium bulb, fronds reserved, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup carrot 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery 2 sticks, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 2 apple peeled, cored and finely chopped, Granny Smith variety
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried, minced, fresh
- 2 teaspoons rosemary minced fresh
- 12 sage chopped, large leaves
- 6 egg large
- 1 cup cream or half and half
- 2 cups chicken stock plus more as needed, homemade or low sodium or turkey stock
- 2 tablespoons butter or drippings from roast turkey, unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and place a rack in the middle. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and place on a baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until bread is dry, but not brown (you can also air-dry bread by leaving it out for up to 24 hours). Remove bread, set aside and increase oven temperature to 350°F.
- Preheat a large, heavy skillet on medium heat and add sausages. Cook until brown and just cooked through. Remove the sausages to a plate and set aside. When cool enough to handle, slice links into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Add the onions, leeks, fennel, carrots, celery, salt and pepper to the pan of sausage fat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage and apples and sauté 7 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl and stir in cream and 1 cup of chicken stock.
- Add the sliced sausage, sautéed vegetables and bread cubes and toss until the bread starts to soak up the liquid. It may take awhile for the bread to fully absorb the liquid so let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes, check it, and add more stock until the bread is very saturated but not swimming in liquid. Transfer the stuffing to a greased 13x9-inch baking dish (or a 12-inch cast iron pan).
- Dot the top with butter (or if you have a turkey in the oven, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the fat over the top). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until hot, and the top is browned, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Notes
- Several stages of this dish can be made in advance, making it ideal for holiday cooking. The bread can be dried up to 2 days ahead. The sausage and vegetables can be cooked up to a day ahead (store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator). The whole dish can be fully assembled up to a day ahead, covered with foil and stored in the refrigerator. If baking from cold, add an extra 5 to 10 minutes baking time.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
6 reviews
Excellent
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