Old Fashioned Chestnut Stuffing

 

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Old Fashioned Chestnut Stuffing

Yield 8 cups

The creamy, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor of roasted chestnuts lifts this stuffing up a notch.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chestnuts, roasted and peeled (see note)
  • 8 slices slightly stale bread, cut into one-inch pieces
  • 2 chopped onions
  • 2 chopped celery sticks
  • 6 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (mix of sage, thyme, parsley)
  • 1 cup chicken stock, or more if needed
  • 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, or more as needed
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 additional tablespoons melted butter, for the baking dish

Instructions

Toss everything except the stock, butter and cream together in a large bowl. Mix well.

Add the stock, followed by the butter, tossing to coat all of the ingredients. Then add enough cream to make a moist, but not wet, stuffing.

Generously butter a three-quart baking dish and fill loosely with the stuffing – do not pack it in.

Brush a sheet of aluminum foil with melted butter. Cover the dish with the foil, butter side down, and bake for about twenty minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is crusty brown, another ten to fifteen minutes.

Notes

Avoid using olive or herb bread, as the flavors will overwhelm.

If the bread isn’t stale, pop it in an oven at low heat for a few minutes to dry it slightly. The recipe is easier to follow if you have everything organized and set out before you begin.

To roast chestnuts:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • With a small paring knife score the chestnuts by making an X on the flat of the nut.
  • Place on a baking sheet and roast until the shells pull back, about ten to fifteen minutes.
  • Alternately, you can roast the chestnuts by placing them near an open fire.
  • When the nuts are cool enough to handle, peel off the shells being careful to remove the dark-brown pith that covers the nuts, too.

Photo credit: Mette Nielsen

Courses Dinner