Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing

Chef Regina V. Smith's Note:

This recipe was originally published in the November 1977 issue of Gourmet Magazine. This recipe is a bit labour intensive but the stuffing can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chillled, covered.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 loaf country bread , crust discarded and bread cut into 3/4 inch cubes (8 cups)
• ½ lb bacon , cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 medium onions , coarsely chopped
• 3 celery ribs
• 1 lb pork sausage
• ¼ cup cognac
• 1 ½ cups half-and-half
• 1 cup turkey stock or 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (14 ounce) jar peeled cooked whole chestnuts , coarsely crumbled
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley , coarsely chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried sage , crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F Butter a 2 1/2 to 3 quart shallow baking dish.
2. Spread bread cubes in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake in lower third of the oven until completely dry. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Leave oven on.
3. While the bread bakes, cook the bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
4. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the skillet, then saute onions in the fat over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add celery and saute, stirring, 3 minutes. Transfer onion and celery to the bowl with the bacon.
5. Cook sausage in skillet, stirring and breaking up sausage, until meat is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer sausage with a slotted spoon to the onion mixture.
6. Pour off any remaining fat from skillet. Add Cognac (off heat), then deglaze skillet by simmering over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute, and add to the onion sausage mixture.
7. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
8. Soak bread cubes in half and half in a bowl, tossing frequently, until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Gently squeeze excess liquid from bread, then stir bread into sausage mixture, discarding the excess half and half. Stir together stock and eggs and add to stuffing, then stir in chestnuts, herbs, salt and pepper until well combined.
9. Transfer stuffing to baking dish and cover with foil, then bake in upper third of oven 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is crisp, about 20 minutes more.