Chestnut Rice Stuffing

Submitted by evelynathens

"This is the only stuffing I've ever eaten all my life - and the thing is, I have never even wanted to try another! This is my mom's recipe. Mothers give daughters good lessons in life - this is one of the best my mom gave me. I have not provided a cook time - it takes as long as your bird takes, ours always has."

 

• Ready In: 20mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 celery rib, chopped fine
• 1 1⁄2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 turkey liver, chopped fine (optional)
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and grated coarse
• 3⁄4 cup pine nuts
• 3⁄4 cup slivered almonds
• 3⁄4 cup sultana raisin
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 lbs chestnuts, cooked, cleaned and chopped coarse (procedure follows)

directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn heat up to high and add ground beef. Cook until meat is browned well, stir in celery and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in rice and turkey liver and cook 3 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Your bird is ready to be stuffed!
3. To prepare chestnuts: I do them in the pressure cooker. Rinse chestnuts and put them in the cooker. Add enough water to cover by a good 2 inches and throw in 2 tblsps salt (this will be drained off anyway- but gives the chestnuts better flavour). Boil for 5 minutes (after pressure starts). Turn off heat and leave on element 15 minutes longer. Drain.
4. When cool enough to handle, cut off'nib' with a small, sharp knife and peel. Get the papery stuff off too. This is not so easy- some chestnuts peel easer than others, but they are so good and this is so totally worth it!
5. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can boil them in a regular pot for about 25 minutes.
6. You could also use the vacuum-packed, cleaned chestnuts available, but I don't know if they'd be as tasty. I would guess that just over 1 lb of cleaned, cooked chestnuts would equal a 2 lb, uncleaned weight.