Macadamia and Ginger Stuffing Recipe

Macadamia nuts and water chestnuts give crunch to stuffing loaded with sausage and flavored with ginger and shallots. This stuffing is baked as a separate side dish and may be conveniently made a day in advance.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes Hawaiian bread (sweet egg bread), crust trimmed
• .
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup chopped drained canned water chestnuts
• 1 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tablespoons grated orange peel
• .
• 3/4 cup (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
• 3 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bread cubes on baking sheet. Bake until dry and firm, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, shallots, and ginger. Saute until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl containing bread cubes. Mix in green onions, water chestnuts, macadamia nuts, parsley, and orange peel. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.

Mix enough chicken broth into stuffing to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown on top, about 10 minutes longer.

Yield: 8 servings

Recipe Source: The Flavors of Bon Appetit : 1999 (Pantheon Books)
Reprinted with permission.