Very Rich Meat Stuffing

• Giblets from 1 turkey
• 4 cups cold water
• 6 thick slices bacon
• 1 cup chicken fat
• 3 tablespoons sweet butter
• 1 medium-size onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 pound ground beef
• 1/4 pound ground veal
• 2 links sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 veal kidney (about 2 pounds), chopped
• 9 chicken livers, chopped
• 6 cups stale bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 cup minced Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 12 chestnuts, boiled, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups pine nuts, toasted

1. Place the giblets in a saucepan with the water, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Strain, reserve the broth, cool the giblets and chop.
3. Place the bacon, chicken fat and butter in a large skillet, and cook for 3 minutes over low heat.
4. Add the onion, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms, stir well to combine, and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the ground beef, ground veal and sausage, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up lumps of meat.
7. Add the kidney, and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add the giblets and the chicken livers, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently.
9. Place the mixture in a large bowl, and add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, mint, thyme, allspice and cumin, and stir to combine.
10. Add the Cognac and chicken broth and stir.
11. Add the chestnuts and the pine nuts and stir well.
12. Adjust seasonings.
13. When cool, this stuffing can be baked inside the turkey, or if you prefer, placed in a casserol and baked for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

turkey, cold water, bacon, chicken fat, sweet butter, onion, celery, clove garlic, mushrooms, ground beef, ground veal, links sweet italian sausage, veal kidney, chicken livers, bread crumbs, salt, freshly ground black pepper, italian parsley, mint, thyme, allspice, cumin, cognac, chicken broth, chestnuts, pine nuts

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/67 (may not work)