Dried Cherry Sourdough Stuffing Food

CRISP GOOSE WITH DRIED CHERRY-SOURDOUGH STUFFING

Steps:

• Trim wing tips from goose using a sharp knife, and transfer to a medium saucepan with reserved neck and heart. Cover with cold water by 3 inches, and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 2 hours. Strain stock through a sieve; discard solids. (You should have about 3 cups liquid.)
• Rinse goose inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Trim as much of the excess fat as possible from the opening of the cavity. Transfer to a large roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack, and place breast side up. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Prick goose all over with a fork. Season skin and cavity generously with salt and pepper. Fill cavity with herb sprigs. Pour 1 inch boiling water into roasting pan, and cover tightly with parchment-lined foil. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, and cook over medium heat for 1 hour to steam goose. Meanwhile, make the stuffing.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour off pan juices. Scatter onion, carrot, and fennel around bottom of pan. Remove herb sprigs from cavity. Spoon stuffing into cavity. Return goose to roasting rack, breast side down, and re-cover with parchment-lined foil. Roast for 30 minutes.
• Raise oven temperature to 475 degrees. Uncover goose, and flip, breast side up. Add apples to bottom of pan. Roast until goose skin is golden, juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast reaches 165 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes more. Stuffing should also reach 165 degrees. Transfer goose to a cutting board, and let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, transfer apples to a serving platter, and cut in half if desired. Pour off fat from pan. Set roasting pan across 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add Marsala, and deglaze pan, scraping up brown bits from bottom using a wooden spoon.
• Strain pan juices through a fine sieve, pressing solids; discard solids. Transfer juices to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil.
• Mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup reserved goose stock, and whisk into pan juices. Add 1 more cup stock, and simmer until slightly thick, 2 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer stuffing to a serving bowl before carving goose. Transfer goose to platter with apples. Serve with gravy.

SOURDOUGH BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
• Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread it evenly on 2 baking sheets. Toast the bread in the oven until completely dry and beginning to crisp and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, 2 tablespoons butter, and thyme. Once the butter has melted, cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add sage and remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. Pour the chicken broth mixture over the bread cubes and toss to combine until the bread cubes absorb the liquid. Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, and sprinkle with parsley. Bake in the center of the oven until heated through and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes before serving.

COUNTRY BREAD STUFFING WITH SMOKED HAM, GOAT CHEESE, AND DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place cherries in bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain.
• Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread; discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (10 cups loosely packed). Place in large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss. Spread out on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Return to same large bowl.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add next 4 ingredients. sauté until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Mix in parsley and cherries. DO AHEAD Bread cubes and vegetable mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature. Chill vegetables.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Stir vegetables and nuts into bread cubes. Add hot broth, tossing to coat. Mix in cheese. Transfer to dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is brown, about 25 minutes longer, and serve.

DRIED CHERRY-SOURDOUGH STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook fennel, celery, shallot, garlic, and apples, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add dried cherries, wine, and herbs. Simmer for 3 minutes. Pour over bread in a large bowl. Stir in stock and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon 6 cups stuffing into goose cavity. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Transfer remaining stuffing to dish. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake stuffing for 45 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees. Uncover, and bake until top of stuffing is crisp and brown, about 15 minutes.

MIDWEST SAUSAGE AND DRIED CHERRY STUFFING

Steps:

• In skillet, sauté the sausage, until brown.
• Drain grease and transfer to bread bowl.
• In same skillet, melt stick of butter, sauté all of the vegetables for 10 minutes until soft.
• Remove vegetables and place in bowl.
• Combine the sausage, vegetables, cherries, bread cubes and rest of ingredients EXCEPT the chicken broth.
• Add just enough chicken broth to moisten the bread mixture.
• You do not want it soaking wet.
• If packing the turkey, stuff the neck and cavity loosely with stuffing, folding the neck skin under and fastening with skewer.
• If not, lightly pack stuffing into a large, shallow baking dish.
• If you bake the stuffing inside the bird, roast the bird at 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound or until the temperature of the bird reaches 170 degrees and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with fork.
• Let turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving.
• If you bake in separate dish, drizzle the stuffing with alittle bit of stock.
• Cover and bake at 325° for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Uncover and back for an additional 10 minutes.