Dominic Franks

three ways with christmas stuffing




...most years, the lead-up to Christmas is a gentle fattening up of body and mind to prepare you for the big day. Like a triathlete training for the race, we feed ourselves rich stews and warming pies, subconsciously expanding the waiste-line in order that we don’t fall at the first slice of turkey, but this year, with the exceptionally mild autumn we’ve had it feels as though Christmas will land on us in a cloud of glitter and a rustle of last years wrapping paper. I don’t know about you but I feel quite unprepared… not that I’d let anything get in the way of a good meal, I know I’ll just have to pace myself this year, maybe have one round, sit down for a film and the queens speech and then attack the turkey again when I’m ready.

...this year, I thought I’d turn my attention to the humble stuffing. It’s actually not all that humble. In fact the stuffing plays a really important part in keeping the turkey moist and both imparts its flavour into the bird whilst enriching itself in all the glorious juices… it really shouldn’t be neglected and I’m afraid a packet of dehydrated sawdust simply won’t do.



three ways with christmas stuffing I’ve created 3 stuffing recipes for you. One classic Pork, Sage and Onion, one slightly more adventurous with chestnuts, apricots, polenta and chilli and a vegetarian aubergine and nut stuffing that i've adapted from a Mary Berry veggie meatloaf recipe that is quite simply heavenly – I’ve served all mine here as separate dishes but they will all work just as well stuffing into a turkey. All will freeze well unto a month prior to cooking or could also be made a couple of days in advance of the big day and kept in the fridge.


Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffing Roll
1 onion – grated
1 small cox apple – grated
3 teaspoons dried sage
500g Lincolnshire sausage meat
4 tablespoons French Bread breadcrumbs
10 slices of bacon rashers
oil and butter
seasoning

place a large pan on a gentle heat and melt a little oil and butter, add the onions and sauté for about 5 mins until soft, then add the apple and 2 teaspoons of dried sage, stir it all together and let it sweat for another 5 mins – set aside to cool

in a large bowl combine the sausage meat, breadcrumbs and the cooled cooked onions until well mixed

lay out a large sheet of foil and butter the surface then lay strips of bacon across it roughly 15cm long, then create a fat sausage shape with the stuffing mixture and lay this on top of the bacon. Using the foil, bring the bacon up and around the sausage shape then tightly roll the whole thing in the foil

bake in the oven when you roast your potatoes for 45 mins, unwrapping the foil for the last 10 minutes – carve thickly to serve.


Chestnut, Apricot, Chilli & Polenta Stuffing
1 onion – finely chopped
½ teaspoon chilli
½ teaspoon fresh lemon thyme
100g dried apricots – chopped
500g Lincolnshire sausage meat
150g polenta
100g chestnuts – chopped
1 egg - beaten
oil and butter
seasoning

grease and line a roasting tin or cake tin at least 20cm long by 15cm wide

place a large pan on a gentle heat and melt a little oil and butter, add the onions and sauté for about 5 mins until soft, turn the heat up and add the chilli and thyme and sauté for a further 5 minutes then set aside to cool. in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients including the cooled onions and plenty of salt and pepper then spoon it into your prepared baking tin. Place a few whole apricots and chestnuts on top for decoration and roast in the oven for 30 – 45 mins


Aubergine and Nut Vegetarian Stuffing
1 onion – finely chopped
1 large aubergine – diced
150g mixed nuts – finely chopped
100g Lincolnshire Poacher cheese – finely grated
4 tablespoons French Bread breadcrumbs
2 eggs – beaten
150g whole chestnuts - halved
fresh thyme and rosemary
salt and pepper

grease and line a 2lb loaf tin and place the halved chestnuts across the bottom

place a large pan on a gentle heat and melt a little oil and butter, add the onions and sauté for about 5 mins until soft, turn the heat up and add the aubergine, season well and sauté for a further 10 minutes, stirring often, then set aside to cool.

in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients well and then spoon it into your prepared loaf tin. Roast in the oven for 30 – 45 mins then set aside to cool slightly before carefully lifting out of the loaf tin and turning over to serve

eat and of course, enjoy!

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