As the second-most important part of our Christmas meal, after the capon (or turkey if you want), I made a bread stuffing. It's like bread pudding — it's not actually sweet but
sucré-salé. I used French baguette, but a cornbread stuffing would be just as delicious. After the bread, the most important ingredients make up the flavor base — chopped or diced onions and celery stalks. And bell peppers (red, green, yellow, or all three).
Meat in the stuffing is optional — especially since you're eating it with meats anyway — but if you have some to spare, it's good. I had smoked pork
lardons (thick-sliced bacon) that needed to be used, and I also had a chunk of pâté that I bought from the butcher a few days earlier... not to mention the poached liver and neck meat of the bird. All that is the
salé (savory or salty) part of the stuffing along with herbs (thyme, oregano, etc.) and spices (grated nutmeg, paprika, allspice, etc.) to taste, and some nuts — walnuts, chestnuts, pecans, or pistachios.
The
sucré (sweet) elements in this stuffing (I call it "dressing" when it's cooked separately from the bird) are prunes or raisins, dried cranberries, and orange zest. You can substitute raisins or dried apricots for the prunes. Don't throw out the poaching liquid that the liver and neck cooked in. It's what you'll use to moisten the stuffing after you toss all the dry ingredients together in a big bowl or wok. Also put in a good bit of melted butter or duck fat. And put in two or three beaten eggs as a binder. Cook the dressing in a baking dish after all the liquid has been absorbed by the bread. Stir it all around, put in a loaf pan or other oven-proof dish and bake it alongside the bird for 30 to 45 minutes, until it springs back when touched. I don't know why we usually have this only during the holidays. It's good year round, whenever you bake a bird or maybe a pork roast.
As the second-most important part of our Christmas meal, after the capon (or turkey if you want), I made a bread stuffing. It's like bread pudding — it's not actually sweet but sucré-salé. I used French baguette, but a cornbread stuffing would be just as delicious. After the bread, the most important ingredients make up the flavor base — chopped or diced onions and celery stalks. And bell peppers (red, green, yellow, or all three).
Meat in the stuffing is optional — especially since you're eating it with meats anyway — but if you have some to spare, it's good. I had smoked pork lardons (thick-sliced bacon) that needed to be used, and I also had a chunk of pâté that I bought from the butcher a few days earlier... not to mention the poached liver and neck meat of the bird. All that is the salé (savory or salty) part of the stuffing along with herbs (thyme, oregano, etc.) and spices (grated nutmeg, paprika, allspice, etc.) to taste, and some nuts — walnuts, chestnuts, pecans, or pistachios.
The sucré (sweet) elements in this stuffing (I call it "dressing" when it's cooked separately from the bird) are prunes or raisins, dried cranberries, and orange zest. You can substitute raisins or dried apricots for the prunes. Don't throw out the poaching liquid that the liver and neck cooked in. It's what you'll use to moisten the stuffing after you toss all the dry ingredients together in a big bowl or wok. Also put in a good bit of melted butter or duck fat. And put in two or three beaten eggs as a binder. Cook the dressing in a baking dish after all the liquid has been absorbed by the bread. Stir it all around, put in a loaf pan or other oven-proof dish and bake it alongside the bird for 30 to 45 minutes, until it springs back when touched. I don't know why we usually have this only during the holidays. It's good year round, whenever you bake a bird or maybe a pork roast.
We always had bread in our dressing in Kentucky but now it's cornbread down South. This post made me miss the bread stuffing- it was really good. Maybe I'll make some again or head North for the holidays one day...
ReplyDeleteI like both. The bread stuffing is good made with French baguette bread. The cornbread stuffing made with N.C. cornbread or French cornbread is also very good.
DeleteI've never thought to put egg in my dressing/stuffing, but I can see how that would help hold it together like a bread pudding. I made dressing at Thanksgiving this year... and it's a good bit of prep, chopping up things and sauteeing them before mixing everything together... but, then I added my broth, and I added too much! I was really frustrated with myself, because after all of that prep, I really was disappointed in the too-mush consistency. My husband said it was great, so that helped, but I'll be more careful next time (not working from an exact recipe).
ReplyDeleteI think I didn't put enough liquid in my stuffing this year. But it's still pretty good. We're having some for lunch today with a left-over capon breast and some green beans (from the garden).
DeleteIs that cranberry on your plate? If so I'd love to know what you put in yours.
ReplyDeleteOne photo shows dried cranberries and prunes in a white porcelaine bowl. The large photo shows a capon leg and thigh with sides: cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed winter squash, and Brussels sprout.
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