Chestnut and Sage Stuffing Recipe

February 28, 2014  | Side Dishes | chestnut | cranberries | sage | stuffing 
Prep Time Cook Time Serves
30m 35m Serves 6 - 8

We discovered hunting for chestnuts really as an aside one day when we were out for a walk. At a certain point in the Autumn, nearby forests are covered with fallen chestnuts. We bumped into an old Italian lady one day who was collecting them. She had a great solution for getting the chestnuts out of their prickly casing – she used her walking cane to push back the prickles and pop out the chestnut. Brilliant! We look for chestnuts a few times each Autumn and then use an iron chestnut roaster my husband found to roast them over the fireplace. A nice way to get some fresh air on a crisp day and also keep the kids entertained.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (9 ounce) loaf country bread, cubed
  • ½ pound chestnuts, cooked and peeled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup chicken broth, room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch oven-proof dish.

Arrange the cubed bread in a single layer on two baking sheets and bake in the oven until crisp and lightly golden, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Coarsely chop the cooked chestnut meat and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onions until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and fry until they are just starting to soften but still hold their shape, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix together the toasted bread, chopped chestnut meat, and the onion and mushroom mixture. Add the cranberries, chopped herbs and salt and pepper, and toss to combine. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs and the broth and then add to the bread mixture. Toss again to combine. The stuffing should be slightly wet – you can add more broth if you find it to be too dry.

Place the stuffing mix in your prepared dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350˚F for 15 – 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden, about 5 – 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Watch Sarah make this Thanksgiving side below:

 

COOK'S TIPS

This recipe is a great stuffing for your turkey. Be sure to cook it until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the stuffing reads 165˚F. Depending on the size of your turkey, you may have some extra stuffing that does not fit in the bird cavity. Cook the extra stuffing in the oven as done in this recipe.

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