Chestnut Stuffing With Pancetta And Fennel Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Soak the stale bread in the milk in a large bowl for 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, onions, carrots and celery and cook 10 minutes until wilted.
• Drain the milk from the bread by pressing with your hands. Add the bread to a large bowl, then add the sauteed vegetables, egg, sage, parsley, grated orange rind and 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated and the stuffing is well blended. Add the chestnuts and mix well.
• Spoon into the prepared baking dish and shake into place with a rubber spatula. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese and cook an additional 20 minutes or until crispy on top.

Steps:

• In a large deep skillet, saute 1/2 pound crumbled sweet Italian sausage in 6 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 diced fennel bulb, 1 diced onion, and 1 tablespoon each chopped sage and thyme; cook 5 minutes, then add 1 diced peeled apple and cook 2 minutes. Pour in 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth. In a large bowl, mix 2 eggs and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Add to the bowl 16 cups toasted white bread cubes and the hot broth mixture. Gently toss the stuffing, then spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter or turkey pan drippings, cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.

Steps:

• Arrange brioche pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Let them dry out overnight, or place them in a 200-degree oven for an hour or two. (They'll be ready when they feel stale to the touch but haven't taken on any color.)
• Heat oven to 375 degrees, and butter a shallow, 2-quart casserole or gratin dish. On a pot on the stove or in the microwave, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Put bread in the prepared baking dish and toss with melted butter. Bake until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then transfer toast to a large bowl. (Don't wash the baking dish; you'll use it again for the stuffing.)
• In a 12-inch skillet, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until soft and just starting to brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in thyme and sage, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl with brioche. Gently fold in chestnuts and pepper and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups stock, eggs, parsley and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Fold gently into bread mixture, then scrape it all back into prepared baking dish. Drizzle on remaining 1 cup stock until the mixture is moist but not squishy; you may not need all the stock.
• Cover dish with foil and bake until lightly springy, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown, another 20 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Cut the crusts off the bread and tear remaining loaves into 1-inch pieces; put into a large bowl. Toss with 2/3 cup olive oil. Spread on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast on staggered oven shelves in a preheated 400-degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until croutons are golden-brown and crispy on the outside but still a little soft and tender inside. Reverse baking sheets halfway through cooking time. Cool.
• Toast the fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the seeds release their aroma and turn a light golden brown. Coarsely grind the seeds with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the pancetta. Saute 1 to 2 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add rosemary sprigs and red-pepper flakes and cook one minute. Add onion, fennel, fennel seeds and thyme. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper. Saute about 8 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly caramelized. If making ahead, cool and refrigerate vegetables. Otherwise, add to the croutons and set aside.
• Return pan to high heat and pour in white wine. Bring to a boil and reduce by three-quarters. Add chicken stock or broth and bring to a boil. Pour hot liquid over croutons and vegetables, tossing well to combine. Stir occasionally so that the liquid that settles in the bottom of the bowl can be redistributed.
• Wipe pan out with paper towels, and return to the stove over medium heat. Swirl in 4 tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add chestnuts. Saute 4 to 5 minutes, until the chestnuts are golden and sizzling. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper; add to the stuffing. Stir to combine, and adjust seasonings if needed. Add eggs and parsley, toss well and put the stuffing into a 2 1/2 -quart casserole. Don't pile it too high - any that remains can be put into a smaller casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes in a preheated 375-degree oven. Remove foil and top stuffing with remaining butter cut into small pieces. Cook uncovered about 15 minutes or until crispy on top.

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a small pot to a low simmer, then set aside over low heat.
• Add pancetta to a large low-sided pot or rondeau over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove pancetta from the pot and drain the fat, reserving 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add olive oil and heat to shimmering. Add the mushrooms and sear on all sides until golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt. Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar to deglaze the pot. Remove mushrooms from pot and set aside. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the same pot on high heat, then the celery, onions, carrot and chestnuts. Cook until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the tomato paste and cook until richly caramelized but not burnt, another 5 to 7 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with 2 cups of the chicken stock and add the reserved mushrooms. Cook until reduced by three-quarters, about 10 minutes. Season with thyme, salt, pepper and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and turn off the heat. Add 2 more cups of the hot chicken stock to the pot along with the bread, pancetta and the reserved pancetta fat.
• Let stand for 45 minutes, allowing the bread to absorb all of the flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If the stuffing seems dry, add the remaining cup chicken stock. Add the egg and fold to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with Parmesan and bake until a nice crust forms on top, about 25 minutes. Garnish with chives.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and fennel; cook, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the thyme and fennel seeds and cook 1 minute. Add the broth, dried pears and chestnuts. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pears begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Add the cubed bread, then pour the broth mixture on top. Stir to coat and evenly moisten the bread. Transfer to the baking dish and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Cover loosely with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until crisp and golden on top, about 20 more minutes.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Toss bread cubes and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Spread in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake until bread cubes are golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then return bread cubes to same large bowl.
• Sauté pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp, adding oil if dry, about 6 minutes. Tilting skillet to allow pan drippings to accumulate at 1 end and using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to bowl with bread cubes. Add chestnuts and shallots to drippings in skillet; sauté until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add thyme and rosemary; stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl with bread. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Boil 3 cups broth in medium saucepan until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk eggs in another large bowl. Mix in cheese. Gradually whisk in broth. Pour broth mixture over chestnut-bread mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper and stir well.
• Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until top is golden brown and slightly crisp around edges, about 20 minutes longer.
• Peeled cooked chestnuts; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl.
• Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic.
• Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes.
• Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley.
• Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta.
• Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat.
• Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten.
• Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Mix in the eggs.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish.
• Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut the crust off the bread and tear the remaining loaf into 1-inch pieces. Using your hands, toss with 6 tablespoons olive oil, squeezing the bread with your hands to help it absorb the olive oil. Toast on a baking sheet 12 to 15 minutes, tossing often, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy on the outside but still a little soft and tender inside. When the croutons have cooled, place them in a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, toast the fennel seeds in a small pan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the seeds release their aroma and turn a light golden brown. Coarsely grind the seeds with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the pancetta. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat down to medium, add the rosemary sprig and the chile, and let them sizzle in the pan a minute. Add the onion, fennel, fennel seeds, and thyme. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper. Sauté about 8 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly caramelized. Stir in the lemon zest, and add the entire mixture to the croutons.
• Return the pan to high heat and pour in the white wine. Bring the wine to a boil, and reduce by three-quarters. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Pour the hot liquid over the croutons and vegetables, and toss well to combine.
• Wipe the pan out with paper towels, and return it to the stove over medium heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons butter, and when it foams, add the chestnuts. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until the chestnuts are golden and sizzling in the butter. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and add to the stuffing. Stir to combine, and taste for seasoning. Add the egg and parsley. Toss well, and put the stuffing in a ceramic baking dish or casserole. Cover with foil, and bake 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and top the stuffing with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes. Return the stuffing to the oven, and cook about 20 minutes, until crispy on top.

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Scatter bread in a single layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches) and toast, stirring once or twice and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a very large bowl.
• Cook pancetta in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add butter and heat until melted, then add celery and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in sage, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add pancetta mixture along with chestnuts and prunes to bowl containing bread. Whisk together stock and eggs, then stir into bread mixture until combined well. Transfer to baking dish (stuffing will mound above dish).
• Bake, loosely covered with a buttered sheet of foil (buttered side down) 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until top is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.