Stove Top is not Real Stuffing!
The reason why I think stuffing is the best part of a turkey dinner is because I grew up with having homemade stuffing. Never having experienced StoveTop stuffing from a box I could never understand why people didn't like stuffing. When I was younger mom used to stuff the bird with stuffing. Later she became wise to the ways of making stuffing on the stove and it was my absolute favourite part of turkey dinners at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Right alongside rotkohl (red cabbage), but that is a different recipe. However I have been corrected that MY stove-top stuffing is not StoveTop because it doesn't come from a box. It is just made on the stove (though I have also learned how to cook it in a crockpot)Having shared my stuffing at various events, many people have asked for the recipe so I have decided to make it easy on them and share it here. It comes from the Fit for Life cookbook under the shepherd's pie recipe.
*Note for those living in the CZ sage can be found at Marks and Spencer, and for the bread I use the day old whole grain rolls - Kaiserka Cereální. It takes about 14-16 of the rolls to make 8 cups.
The Best
Stuffing Ever
½ C. butter
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
1 C. celery finely chopped (about 3 large stalks)
¼ C. scallions, minced
8 cups whole grain bread cubes ( ½ inch cubes) a little old or stale works best
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
1 C. celery finely chopped (about 3 large stalks)
¼ C. scallions, minced
8 cups whole grain bread cubes ( ½ inch cubes) a little old or stale works best
2 tsp
ground sage
½ tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp celery seed
½ teaspoon paprika (Hungarian paprika is the best!)
½ tsp sea salt
dash of fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp fresh parsley minced (I usually skip this one because I am not a fan of parsley)
½ tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp celery seed
½ teaspoon paprika (Hungarian paprika is the best!)
½ tsp sea salt
dash of fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp fresh parsley minced (I usually skip this one because I am not a fan of parsley)
1 vegetable
bouillon cube
2 C.
boiling water
Prep:
Chop the vegetables
(this can even be done the night before and stored in an airtight container
(don’t want your fridge to smell of onions) Bread can also be chopped the night
before and store in a bag. Pour all the seasonings into one cup.
Begin
boiling 2C. water (I usually do this in a kettle)
In a large heavy sauce pan (I use a deep Dutch oven) melt ½ cup of butter.
Add chopped onion, shallot, celery and scallions.
(I often do an extra shallot and skip the scallions but this is personal preference)
Sauté until vegetables begin to soften. Take off the heat and add bread cubes, sage, marjoram, thyme, celery seed, paprika, sea salt and pepper. Mix well.
Dissolve 1 vegetable bouillon in 2 cups boiling water. Add water to stuffing, and mix well.
Cover, and return to very low heat, to steam for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally ensuring it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. (After adding water you can mix well and place in a crockpot on low heat being sure to give it an occasional stir).
In a large heavy sauce pan (I use a deep Dutch oven) melt ½ cup of butter.
Add chopped onion, shallot, celery and scallions.
(I often do an extra shallot and skip the scallions but this is personal preference)
Sauté until vegetables begin to soften. Take off the heat and add bread cubes, sage, marjoram, thyme, celery seed, paprika, sea salt and pepper. Mix well.
Dissolve 1 vegetable bouillon in 2 cups boiling water. Add water to stuffing, and mix well.
Cover, and return to very low heat, to steam for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally ensuring it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. (After adding water you can mix well and place in a crockpot on low heat being sure to give it an occasional stir).
Once it has
been well steamed it is ready to serve!
Added bonus…
Mushroom Gravy!
2 Tbsp
butter
1 shallot minced
1 pound (450g) mushrooms sliced (can be fresh or frozen, I’ve found frozen has less flavour but more juices, if you use fresh make sure they are super fresh because they will produce more juice)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 ½ C. water
2 vegetable bouillon
2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garlic salt (I like to mince one clove of real garlic instead)
1 shallot minced
1 pound (450g) mushrooms sliced (can be fresh or frozen, I’ve found frozen has less flavour but more juices, if you use fresh make sure they are super fresh because they will produce more juice)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 ½ C. water
2 vegetable bouillon
2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garlic salt (I like to mince one clove of real garlic instead)
Boil 1 ½ C
water in kettle pour in measuring cup add dissolve 2 vegetable bouillon.
In large
deep frying pan melt 2Tbsp butter and sauté shallots and mushrooms until they
are soft and have released a dark juice.
Strain the mushrooms from the juice and reserve the juice for later. Set
the mushrooms and onions aside in another bowl. Return the pan to the heat and
melt the other 2Tbsp of butter. Add the flour and stir with a whisk to make a
roux. Add mushroom liquid and continue to whisk until gravy begins to form. Slowly add vegetable bouillon water while
stirring as gravy continues to thicken.
Add salt, garlic and cream (if desired).
At this point reserved mushrooms and shallots may be added.
