Chestnut and Cranberry Dressing
Cranberries neednt be relegated only to the relish that accompanies the Thanksgiving feast. Here, tangy dried cranberries are combined with a traditional chestnut dressing that is also delicious served alongside roast pork.
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1-lb. loaf country-style bread, crusts removed,
cut into 1/2-inch pieces, toasted - 2 cups prepared French chestnuts, halved
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 1/4 to 3-quart baking dish.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock until steam starts to rise, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the dried cranberries. Set aside.
In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
In the same pan, sauté the sausage, stirring and crumbling with a fork, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl with the vegetables.
In a large bowl, stir the egg while slowly pouring in the stock and cranberries. Add the bread and toss until well blended. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the stock is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the vegetable-sausage mixture, the chestnuts, sage, thyme and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the dressing is browned and crispy, 45 to 50 minutes. Serves 10 to 12.