Chestnut Rice Stuffing Recipes

Steps:

• Use the tip of a sharp paring knife to cut an X on the flat side of each chestnut. Put the chestnuts in a plastic container and put in the freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the chestnuts on a jelly roll pan or baking dish, cut side up, and roast 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and allow chestnuts to cool until warm to the touch. Remove the shell and peel the chestnuts. Roasted chestnuts will keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for 2 to 3 days.
• Place pecans in an empty wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes over medium heat until the nuts are golden. The pecans can be roasted several days ahead.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and return to a full boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, cover, and allow it to completely cool before refrigerating. Makes about 4 cups.
• Combine the soy sauce and sesame oil in a cup. Combine the salt and pepper in a small dish.
• Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the ginger and garlic using a metal spatula to stir-fry no more than 10 seconds, until the ginger and garlic are fragrant. Add the mushrooms and bell peppers and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until all the oil is absorbed. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil, add the rice, and stir-fry for 1 minute, breaking up the rice with the spatula. Swirl in the soy sauce mixture, sprinkle with the salt mixture, and stir-fry for 1 minute, until well combined. Add the chestnuts, pecans and cilantro, and stir-fry for 1 minute, until heated through. Stir in the scallions.

Steps:

• Cook wild rice in large saucepan of salted boiling water until tender and grains just begin to split, about 45 minutes. Drain. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine cooked rice, chestnuts, and parsley in large bowl. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion and sauté until meat is browned and cooked through, stirring frequently and breaking up meat with fork, about 7 minutes. Add apples and thyme and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Pour sausage mixture over rice mixture in bowl; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bake until hot and liquid is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Put wild rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse it under cold running water, swishing rice with your hand until water runs clear. Transfer rice to a medium bowl and add water to cover. Pour off any black bits or floating kernels, and then pour rice back into sieve to drain.
• Cook rices separately: Combine wild rice with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and steam until rice is tender and curling into a C shape, 20-25 minutes.
• At the same time, combine basmati rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 13/4 cups water in another small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and steam until rice is tender, 25 minutes.
• Combine rices in a large bowl and cover.
• Cook the vegetable base: Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are limp but still bright, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
• Pour over rices, scraping the pan for the juices, and stir to combine. Add pistachios, chestnuts, and parsley and mix thoroughly.

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a colander, and then transfer to a medium bowl. Cover with 1 inch of water and let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain thoroughly.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside, reserving skillet.
• Return skillet to medium heat and add oil. When oil is hot, add the shallots and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the shallots are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until the sausages curl slightly, 1 minute more. Add the sherry, bring to a boil, and cook until syrupy, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, chestnuts, rice, and toasted pine nuts and toss until the rice kernels are evenly coated. Stir in the broth or water and season with salt. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the rice is cooked, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Garnish rice "stuffing" with sliced scallions before serving.

Steps:

• For convenience we cooked this outside the turkey in a buttered casserole at 350 F degrees for about 90 minutes. The timing isn't crucial. Or you may stuff the turkey as below.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 TB (30 ml) butter or margarine, onions, and celery and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms and garlic, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until tender.
• Add sage, thyme, rosemary, and half each of the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until fragrant.
• Pour in wine and chicken broth. Scrape brown bits from the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.
• Add rice, chestnuts and parsley to skillet mixture and let cool completely.
• Toss the mixture with eggs until well combined.
• IF YOU WANT TO COOK THIS IN THE BIRD:.
• Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Remove giblets and neck from turkey; rinse inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Season the turkey (including the cavities) with the remaining salt and pepper.
• Stuff both cavities with the rice mixture, packing lightly. Truss the legs closed with kitchen twine. Place turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub skin with remaining butter. Roast turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 F (180 C).
• Roast, basting with pan juices, every 30 minutes for about 3 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 180 F (85 C) when inserted into the inner thigh.
• Rest turkey for 20 minutes; reserve pan juices to make gravy. Transfer turkey to a platter, carve and serve with stuffing on the side.

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl and add water to cover by 1 inch. Let stand for at least 2 hours (or even overnight).
• To prepare the chestnuts, place them in a small saucepan in which they will fit in a single layer. Add the butter, cilantro, and broth to cover by 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, or until the nuts are tender yet firm and still hold their shape. Do not allow the nuts to boil, or they will disintegrate. When they are ready, some pieces will be intact and others will have broken apart. Set aside.
• Dump the rice into a colander and rinse under cold running water. Shake the colander to expel extra water and then return the rice to the bowl. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. If you are concerned about cleanup and/or the rice falling through the holes of the steamer tray, line the tray with a piece of parchment paper or banana leaf, leaving a few holes uncovered for heat circulation. Pour the rice into the tray, keeping it 1 inch away from the edge where condensation will collect.
• Place the tray in the steamer, cover, and steam the rice for 20 minutes, or until the grains are shiny, tender, and slightly chewy. To ensure even cooking, give the rice a big stir with chopsticks or a spatula 2 or 3 times during steaming. Take care when lifting the lid that you don't allow any condensation to drip onto the rice and that you are not burned by the steam. At the end of each stirring, gather the grains back into a mound in the center, leaving a 1-inch border between the rice and the edge of the steamer tray. When the rice is done, turn off the heat and leave the rice in the steamer while you ready the other ingredients.
• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant and soft. Add the liver and sauté for less than 1 minute, or just until cooked through. Add the pork, pressing and poking it to break it up into small pieces, and cook and stir for about 2 minutes, or until half done. Add the mushrooms, pepper, thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and continue to cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. Remove from the heat.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or baking dish of similar size) with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Transfer the pork mixture and any juices to a large bowl and add the rice and Cognac. Use a rubber spatula or 2 spoons to combine the ingredients well, breaking apart any large clumps of rice. Discard the cilantro sprigs from the chestnuts and drain the chestnuts, reserving the liquid for a sauce or a soup if desired. Add the chestnuts to the rice mixture along with the chopped cilantro and mix together gently. Taste and adjust with more salt, if necessary. (The dressing may be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance. Cover partially to prevent drying and let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking.) Transfer the dressing to the prepared baking dish. Cut the remaining 1 tablespoon butter into bits and use to dot the top evenly. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake the dressing for 35 to 40 minutes, or until heated through and the bottom browns. Although the top will not brown, some grains at the edge will brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
• Chestnuts are in season in the late fall and early winter. Select shiny nuts that feel heavy for their size and store them in a cool, dry place. Be sure to use them while they still feel full and heavy. Or, freeze them unshelled for up to a year and thaw in the refrigerator before using.
• To shell and peel chestnuts, first cut a cross on the flat side of each nut with a sharp paring knife. To do this, place the nuts on a dish towel so they don't roll away. Preheat a toaster oven or a regular oven to 400°F and place the nuts, cut side up, directly on the rack (use the middle rack of a regular oven) or in a shallow pan. Bake them for about 5 minutes in a toaster oven or 10 to 15 minutes in a regular oven, or until the chestnuts feel hot and the cut on each shell opens and curls.
• Carefully transfer the hot nuts to a dish towel, wrap them up, and squeeze the bundle to crack their shells. Working with 1 nut at a time and using the paring knife, remove the smooth outer shell and then peel, scrape, and/or cut off the papery inner brown skin. Use the knife tip to pry out skin bits stuck in the crevices. It is okay if a nut breaks during peeling. As you work, keep the unpeeled nuts warm in the dish towel, so the shells remain pliable and easier to remove. You can shell and peel chestnuts up to 3 days in advance of using and keep them tightly covered in the refrigerator, or you can freeze them for up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Put the wild rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse it under cold running water, swishing the rice with your hands until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl and add water to cover. Pour off any black bits or floating kernels, and then pour the rice back into the sieve to drain.
• Cook the rices separately: Combine the wild rice with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and steam until the rice is tender and curling into a C shape, 20 to 25 minutes.
• At the same time, combine the basmati rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 3/4 cups water in another small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and steam until the rice is tender, 25 minutes.
• Combine the rices in a large bowl and cover tightly.
• Cook the vegetable base: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are limp but still bright, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour the vegetables over the rice, scraping the pan for the juices, and stir to combine. Add the pistachios, chestnuts and parsley and mix thoroughly. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, saute onion and fennel in 1/2 cup butter until tender. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in chestnuts, pear, broth, dried fruit, seasonings and remaining butter; cook until butter is melted. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until dried fruit is softened., Place in a large bowl. Stir in bread cubes. Whisk eggs and milk; drizzle over stuffing and toss to coat., Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. and a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, cut slits in the surface of the chestnuts. Place chestnuts in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain, peel, and chop.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chestnuts, onion, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, and cook until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium baking dish, and mix with the cubed bread.
• In a small bowl, beat together eggs and milk, and drizzle over the cubed bread mixture.
• Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until surface is crisp and lightly browned.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the onion, squash and chestnuts into a roasting tin with the oil, chopped sage and seasoning, then toss well with your hands. Roast for 20 mins or until the edges of the squash start to tinge brown. If your oven is full, you can simply fry the lot together in a large frying pan.
• Add the rice and stir to coat it, then tip the lot into a saucepan. Add the stock and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 mins or until the rice is tender and the stock absorbed. Add cheese, if using, and tip into a baking dish. You can now cover and chill the stuffing for up to a day. To finish, heat grill to high, then cook until the top is browned and crisp and the stuffing is hot through.