Debs Kitchen

Chestnut  Dressing

This is a variation on my grandmother’s old fashioned bread stuffing. I’ve updated it with sausage, apples and chestnuts and I bake it separately from the turkey. I can prepare it the day before and heat it while the turkey rests.

1            box cornbread mix, baked and cut into 2” pieces

1            loaf artisan bread

½         lb. chicken (or turkey) apple sausage

1            tablespoon canola oil

1            tablespoon butter

1            onion, diced

4             ribs celery, diced

1             bunch sage, minced

2             sprigs thyme, minced

3             tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

2            cups chestnuts, chopped*

1             tart apple, peeled, seeded and diced

1             egg, lightly beaten

1             cup turkey stock, or more

Bake the cornbread mix according to package directions and cut into approximately 2″ pieces. Set aside to dry out. Do not cover.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Cut bread into 1″ cubes, approximately. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, toss bread cubes with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until lightly browned.

Mix together the cornbread pieces and toasted bread cubes. Do not cover while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Dry bread will absorb more liquid than slightly damp bread.

Heat a large sauté pan. Remove sausage from the casing and crumble into the hot pan; sometimes the sausage doesn’t have

much fat so you may have to add a little oil; cook until lightly browned. Set aside.

Add butter and oil to the pan and sauté onions and celery until translucent. Add the herbs and sauté until fragrant; add the chestnuts and apples; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Mix the sausage and vegetable mixture to the dry bread; tossing the mixture well, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and let the dressing cool completely.

Add the egg and enough of the stock to just bring the dressing together.

Place dressing into a baking dish, cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until lightly browned, approximately 15 minutes.

* Approximately 1 pound fresh chestnuts,

or 3/4 pound pre-cooked whole chestnuts (Check Melissa’s for store availability)

To roast fresh chestnuts with shell:

With a sharp knife cut an X on the round side of each chestnut. Spread the chestnuts in one layer on a baking sheet and bake the chestnuts in a preheated 450° oven for 10 minutes, or until the shells open. Peel them while they are still warm.