Mimi Hiller posted 11-22-99 5:15 PM pt (US)
Title: Perfect Stuffing - 625 Ways
Categories: Stuffing
Yield: 1 Recipe
Column A – Bread/Grain:
Toasted cornbread
Cubed sourdough
Cooked couscous
French baguette
Cooked brown rice
Column B - Meat:
Ground pork
Hot Italian sausage
Sweet turkey sausage
Ground beef
Cubed deli ham (don't cook)
Column C - Herbs:
Oregano
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Parsley
Column D – Fruits/Veggies:
Onion, celery, carrot
Escarole, scallions, dates
Mushrooms, corn, onion
Pears, onion, celery
Leeks, onion, roasted peppers
Bread and rice are great stuffing bases because they absorb turkey's juices.
For bread stuffing, choose a firm loaf from bakery. (Store-bought white bread is too soft). Tear into bite-size pieces or cube.
For lighter stuffing, choose a low starch rice, like
basmati. (A high-starch rice, like arborio, may congeal).
6 cups of cooked grain or cubed bread serves 8 people.
Cook chopped onions, carrots and celery in butter or oil until tender. This gives stuffing flavor and texture. You'll need to add 2-1/2 cups of cooked veggies or fruit and 1 lb. cooked meat to season enough stuffing for 8 people.
Add to base and toss to coat. Add 1-2 cups broth, wine or spirits, 1/4 cup at a time, to keep mixture from drying out. Stop when stuffing looks moist. Add 1/4 cup extra liquid to stuffing cooked outside of bird.
To bake stuffing separate from the bird, use a 2-1/2 qt. greased casserole dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Then uncover and continue baking until top is crusty and golden.
625 Ways: Combine 6 cups of grain or cubed bread from Column A, 1 lb. of cooked meat from column B, 2 tbl. of chopped herbs from Column C and S 2-1/2 cups of cooked chopped fruits and/or veggies from Column D. Moisten only bread-based mixtures with 1-2 cups broth.
Stir in 1 beaten egg and 1/2 cup melted butter. Transfer to a 2-1/2 qt. casserole and bake, covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
Source: First for Women.