Adding chopped fruit to any stuffing will do wonders for flavor! If you don’t have a tried and true recipe, this one may turn into your favorite. If you do, then consider dicing up an apple and pear and adding them to the mix.
Ingredients
1 loaf day old crusty bread
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Pink Lady apple – peeled, cored and chopped
1 Warren pear – cored and chopped
1/2 cup diced dried FHF apricots
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup walnuts
Preparation
Cut the bread into 3/4 inch cubes and place on a few baking sheets. Allow to dry out for about 3 hours. If you prefer, put them in a 350F oven for a few minutes to dry out, but watch them carefully because you don’t want them to over toast.
Over low flame in a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic and celery and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the apples and pears and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the bread and stir to combine. Add the stock and toss. Add the apricots, herbs, eggs, and salt and pepper and mix well. Add the nuts.
If you plan on stuffing the bird, only stuff the cavity about 3/4 full because this will expand as it cooks. If you are planning on cooking it in a baking dish, place the stuffing in a 9×13 inch dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and cook for an additional 25 minutes.