Prune And Apple Stuffing With Sausage And Chestnuts Recipe

• 6 ounces (170g) pitted prunes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup (120ml) Amontillado sherry
• 12 ounces (340g; about 1 loaf) high-quality white sandwich bread or soft Italian or French bread, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter or 1/3 cup (70g) minced goose fat (see note)
• 12 ounces (340g) sweet Italian sausage
• 3 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch chunks
• 6 ounces (170g) cooked and peeled chestnuts, chopped (about 1 cup; 235ml)
• 1/2 cup (120ml)
• or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) minced fresh sage
• Large pinch ground cloves
• Large pinch grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small container, combine prunes and sherry and soak at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight.
2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 275u0b0F. Arrange bread in a single even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until completely dried, about 50 minutes total, stirring bread cubes several times during baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase oven heat to 325u0b0F.
3. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, melt butter or render reserved goose fat over medium heat, 2-3 minutes. Add sausage and mash with stiff whisk or potato masher to break up into fine pieces (largest pieces should be no greater than 1/4 inch thick). Cook, stirring frequently, until only a few bits of pink remain, about 4 minutes. Add onions, celery, and apples and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chestnuts and prunes with their soaking liquid.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken stock, eggs, sage, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until homogeneous. Stirring constantly with wooden spoon, slowly pour egg mixture into sausage mixture. Add bread cubes and fold gently until evenly mixed.
5. Use part of stuffing to stuff bird if desired (not recommended if making goose, which will yield an extremely fatty, excessively rich stuffing) or transfer to a buttered 9- by 13-inch rectangular baking dish (or 10- by 14-inch oval dish), cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 150u0b0F when inserted into center of dish, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until golden brown and crisp on top, about 15 minutes longer. Serve.

prunes, amontillado sherry, white sandwich bread, butter, sweet italian sausage, onions, celery, apples, chestnuts, chicken broth, egg, ground cloves, nutmeg, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/12/prune-and-apple-stuffing-with-chestnuts-recipe.html (may not work)