Chef notes
The flavors of Spanish tapas like chorizo, sherry, sweet dates and tangy capers have always been some of my favorites. This tapas-inspired twist on a classic bread stuffing brings those flavors together for a unique and savory dish that will still pair beautifully with any other favorites on your holiday table.
You can substitute stale or store-bought bread cubes for this stuffing, but I recommend starting with a fresh loaf of delicious crusty bread from the bakery, then breaking it up and toasting it yourself. Tearing the bread by hand creates a wonderful texture and more toasted edges for maximum flavor.
Also make sure you use Spanish-style chorizo (which is smoked), not raw sausage, for this particular recipe.
To get extra fancy, turn this stuffing into a real showstopper by baking it in a bundt pan! Just add 3 large eggs to your favorite bread-based stuffing recipe and bake it in a well-greased bundt pan according to the directions below. Let it cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then use a wet knife to release the edges and gently flip out.
Ingredients
- 1 pound loaf crusty sourdough or country bread
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Spanish style chorizo sausage, diced (smoked, fully-cooked style, not fresh)
- 1 large Spanish onion, diced
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ cups pitted dates, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Smoked Spanish paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 2½ cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 2 large eggs, whisked
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 300°F. Tear the bread by hand into about 1- to 1½-inch pieces. Spread onto a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and toasted. Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer bread to a large mixing bowl.
2.Raise oven heat to 350°F. 3. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and onion and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt plus a few cracks of black pepper, sauté until the onions are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4.Add the celery, peppers and sauté until vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
5.Remove from the heat, and add to the bowl with the bread. Stir in the chopped dates, capers, oregano, paprika, chili flakes and parsley and combine. Add the stock, dry sherry and whisked eggs; toss gently until mixture evenly moistened. 6. Grease a 13- by 9-inch baking dish with olive oil. Transfer stuffing to the baking dish and spread out evenly. Drizzle with more olive oil and bake, uncovered, for about 40 to 45 minutes until heated through and the top is browned and crisp. You can also make the mixture in advance by prepping the day before and keeping it unbaked and covered in the refrigerator overnight.
