Fennel, escarole, herbs, and spices flavor this stuffing. Top this stuffing with Parmesan for a great stand-alone casserole.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
- 4 cups chopped fresh fennel
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium head escarole, washed thoroughly and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups stale or lightly toasted 1/2-inch bread cubes, preferably from a chewy sourdough loaf
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, fennel, garlic, rosemary, thyme, fennel seeds, and salt. Cook, covered, until the onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the escarole, cover, and cook until the escarole is wilted. Add the wine and let it simmer until some of the liquid has evaporated, 2 or 3 minutes In a large bowl, combine the vegetables with the bread cubes, pine nuts, and lemon zest. Season with pepper; toss to combine. The stuffing should just hold together when mounded on a spoon.
Stuff the bird following the tips in Don't overstuff the bird. If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of stock over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Yield: 12 to 14 cups
Recipe Source: Fine Living (Taunton Press)
Reprinted with permission.
Stuff the bird following the tips in Don't overstuff the bird. If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of stock over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Yield: 12 to 14 cups
Recipe Source: Fine Living (Taunton Press)
Reprinted with permission.
