One of my interns asked me, "Palma, would you teach me something?" I assumed she wanted to ask a clinical question, or how to do a particular intervention or had a question about a diagnosis or treatment issue. I said, "Sure, if I can." She said, "Would you teach me how to make stuffing?"
During "supervision" this week, we talked about her clients WHILE we made stuffing. I think that if it is IN the turkey, it is called stuffing, but if it is baked in a dish, it is dressing. I call either STUFFING!
Since I am NOT doing any cooking for Thanksgiving, she brought home a large pan, I saved a small baking dish for my dog-sitter, and there was a little baking dish left for Brad and I to have with some roasted chicken.
1 lb sausage, drained
4 oz. chopped pancetta
4 T. butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 bulb fennel, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled & chopped
4 oz. chopped dried apricots (optional)
1 T. chopped sage
1 t. fresh thyme
4 c. chicken broth
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. pecans
1 pound of sour dough bread, cubed and toasted
Pour bread cubes in a large bowl. Toast pecans at 375 for 6-8 minutes on a large baking sheet. Set pecans aside to cool.
Brown sausage & pancetta until cooked (10 minutes) Drain and set aside. Cook onion, celery and fennel in butter. Add sage and thyme. Add to bread bowl. Add apples. Toss.
Whisk eggs into broth in another bowl. Toss liquid with bread mixture. Add toasted pecans and toss well. Add salt and pepper and toss again. Pour stuffing into a greased baking pan and cover with foil. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Bake (with foil) at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes or until golden on top.
