Chef notes
The terms "stuffing" and "dressing" are often used interchangeably, but they do have different meanings: Stuffing is cooked inside the bird, dressing on its own. Use this recipe when making my Roasted Turkey in Parchment with Gravy.
Technique tips: You can use this to stuff the inside of a turkey or bake in casserole dishes instead. You can also use dried cherries instead of apricots. The best use for stale bread is to make stuffing. If bread has not dried out overnight, place in a low-heat oven to dry out for a few hours.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2-3 apples, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (3 cups)
- 2-3 pears, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (3 cups)
- 4 onions (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 16 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 stale loaves white bread, (such as brioche) crust on, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons Bell’s Poultry Seasoning
- 3 cups (about 2 bunches) fresh coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped, or 2 teaspoons crushed dried sage
- 1-2 cups vegetable stock, skimmed of fat (if homemade)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, pears, onions and celery, and sauté until translucent and softened, about 10 minutes.
To a large mixing bowl, add the fruit-aromatics mixture, cubed bread, eggs and Bell’s seasoning, and mix to combine. Add the parsley and sage, and slowly pour in stock while mixing until the stuffing holds together (don't overmix!); you may not need all the stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
