Bread Stuffing With Sausage, Apples And Caramelized Onions
serves 12
Italian sausage, sautéed apples, caramelized onions and savory herbs are an irresistible combination for stuffing.
Read more about this recipe in Diane Morgan's The Christmas Table.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
10 cups unseasoned dry bread, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces mild Italian sausage
1 bag frozen pearl onions, thawed and blotted dry with paper towels
1 tablespoon sugar
2 Granny Smith apples (about 6 ounces each), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 large ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
2/3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh sage
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
prep: 30 minutes
total: 1 hour 30 minutes
9 x 13-inch deep baking dish
large bowl
10-inch sauté pan
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a deep, 9-by-13-inch oven-to-table baking pan with the butter. Place the bread cubes in a very large bowl.
2. In a 10-inch sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the pan. Cook the sausages until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan, reserving the extra. Add the onions to the fat in the pan, place over medium-high heat, and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and sauté, stirring constantly, until the onions turn golden and the edges caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onions to the bread in the bowl.
4. Return the pan to medium heat, add the reserved fat, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the apples and celery and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, sage, salt and a sprinkling of pepper and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add this mixture to the bread cubes, and stir to combine. Add the eggs and stock to the bowl, and mix well.
5. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared pan. Bake, uncovered, until the top is lightly browned and crusty, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve directly from the pan.
