Food experts say stuffing is second only to turkey as the quintessential Thanksgiving food, but it has evolved over the years with experimentation and tastes. Here are two different takes on tradition:
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10ounces sweet Italian sausages, casings removed, meat crumbled
1fennel bulb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1/4 cup chopped fronds
1large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2garlic cloves, crushed
1/2cup dry white wine
2cups water
21/2cups farro (also called spelt, available at most natural foods stores)
10ounces kale, ribs discarded and leaves thinly sliced (about 11 cups)
13/4cups low-sodium chicken stock
Zest from 1 large lemon
2tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until deep golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and then add the fennel, onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until fennel and onion are softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine and then cook until reduced by half.
Stir in 2 cups water, the farro, kale, stock, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the fennel fronds, half of the rosemary, the remaining oil and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until farro is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sausage and remaining rosemary and fennel fronds. Season with pepper and additional salt, if needed.
Serve, or immediately pack loosely in turkey cavity and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of the stuffing registers 165 degrees.
Makes about 8 cups, or enough to stuff an 18-pound turkey.
Recipe from the November 2004 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine
Cornbread and apple stuffing
Giblets from a turkey
1/2cup butter
1cup chopped onion
1cup cored and chopped apples
1/2cup dried cranberries
21/2cups chicken broth
3tablespoons poultry seasoning
113-by-9-inch pan of cornbread
4slices white bread
3eggs, lightly beaten
1teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1cup pan drippings from cooked turkey
Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the giblets and boil for 45 minutes. Pour off water and set giblets aside to cool. When completely cooled, chop into small pieces.
Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a large saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onions, apples and cranberries and saute 5 minutes. Stir in broth and poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
While the onions and fruit boil, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use remaining butter to coat a large baking pan.
Finely crumble cornbread into the baking pan. Tear the slices of white bread into small pieces and mix with cornbread by hand. Add eggs and pepper to the bread mixture and mix well by hand.
Pour the broth and fruit mixture over the cornbread and use a large spoon to mix well. Add half the giblets and mix well. Remaining giblets can be reserved for another use, such as adding them to gravy.
Bake the stuffing for 1 hour, or until lightly crisp around the edges. Baste occasionally with pan drippings.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Recipe from Arnd Sievers, Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, N.Y.
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