Fennel Prosciutto And Pine Nut Stuffing Food

FENNEL, PROSCIUTTO AND PINE NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Transfer to large bowl. Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add onions and fennel bulbs and seeds; sauté until onions soften but fennel bulbs are still crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in prosciutto, pine nuts, parsley, marjoram and lemon peel. (Bread and fennel mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature; refrigerate fennel.) Add fennel mixture to bread. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
• To bake stuffing in turkey:
• Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten lightly (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter glass baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• To bake all of stuffing in baking dish:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with butter foil, buttered side down; bake until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.

FENNEL, PEAR AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

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.

PROSCIUTTO OR PANCETTA-WRAPPED PORK ROAST WITH FENNEL AND GOLDEN RAISIN STUFFING

Steps:

• For the fennel and golden raisin stuffing: Place the golden raisins in a small dish, cover with boiling water and let stand to soften. Melt the butter with a turn of the pan of EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, fennel (reserving the fronds) and onions, sprinkle with some salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables soften, 12 to 15 minutes. Deglaze with the wine, transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. Drain and chop the raisins, and then combine with the fennel, onions, ground pork, pine nuts and thyme. For the prosciutto-wrapped pork roast: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butterfly the meat by thirds: Measure one-third from the bottom of the loin, and make a lengthwise cut along one longer side (not going all the way through to the opposite side). Continue to make long cuts to open up the meat. When you have reached almost to the opposite side of the roast with your lengthwise cuts, stop and roll the top two-thirds of the roast over. Measure the height of the rolled-over portion and make a lengthwise cut to butterfly this in half. Continue slicing and opening up the meat until the loin has been butterflied into a single slab. Pound the meat with a meat mallet to 3/4-inch thick, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll up the pork, cover with overlapping slices of the prosciutto, and tie in intervals with twine to secure. Heat 2 turns of the pan of EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown evenly all over. Toss the potatoes and onions in a roasting pan together with the rosemary, garlic, about 1/4 cup EVOO, and some salt and pepper. Set the browned roast on top and deglaze the Dutch oven with the wine, scraping up the bits from the bottom. Pour the liquid over the pork. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, up to 2 hours, then let rest 30 minutes under a foil tent. Before serving, place the roasting pan on a burner, deglaze with the stock and then stir in the fennel fronds and butter. Slice the roast, spoon the fennel butter jus over top and serve alongside the potatoes and onions.

PROSCIUTTO PARMESAN AND PINE NUT BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream the butter. Blend in prosciutto, Parmesan cheese and ground black pepper.
• Place baguettes on a medium baking sheet. Heat in the preheated oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Spread baguette slices with the butter mixture. Arrange on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with pine nuts.

CHESTNUT STUFFING WITH PANCETTA AND FENNEL

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.

BAKED STUFFING SUPREME WITH PARMESAN CRANBERRIES AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Set oven to 400°F.
• Spray one or two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place half of the bread in a large bowl.
• Add in 3 tablespoons olive oil; toss to coat, then add in about 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, then toss to coat.
• Spread the bread cubes on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Repeat with remaining bread cubes.
• Cool on sheets then transfer to a large bowl (if you are freezing just cool to room temperature then place in freezer bags).
• In a large pot melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat.
• Add in onions, celery and red bell peppers; saute for about 15 minutes, or until veggies begin to brown and are tender.
• Add in chopped garlic, rosemary and oregano; stir for 1 minute.
• Add in dried cranberries and pine nuts; stir for about 2 minutes, transfer to the bowl with the bread cubes.
• Stir in 1/2 cup fresh basil 1-1/4 cups Parmesan cheese.
• Season with salt and lots of black pepper to taste.
• Mix in the eggs and toss with a wooden spoon.
• Add in enough broth to moisten starting with 3/4 cups; toss to combine, adding in more broth to about 1-1/4 cups (if needed).
• Set oven to 350°F.
• Butter an EXTRA large glass baking pan (large enough to hold the mixture).
• Transfer the stuffing to baking dish.
• Drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese on top.
• Cover with buttered foil and bake for about 40 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for about 20 minutes longer, or until the top is crisp and golden brown (baking time will vary depending on the size of baking dish).
• Delicious!

FIG-AND-PROSCIUTTO STUFFING

Steps:

• Simmer the figs in the Madeira for 15 minutes, drain well, pat dry and chop roughly. Place the figs, prosciutto and pecans in a large bowl. Prepare the bread stuffing, then combine it with the fig mixture. If baking in a casserole, it will not be necessary to add more chicken broth.

ITALIAN FIG AND PROSCIUTTO STUFFING

Steps:

• In a nonreactive saucepan, simmer the figs in the Madeira for 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry and roughly chop. Place the figs, prosciutto and pecans in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, celery, salt, pepper and herbs and cook for 5 minutes more. Place the mixture in a large bowl, add the cubed bread and chicken broth and toss to combine. Add the fig mixture and toss to combine.
• Fill the bird loosely with stuffing; place any remaining stuffing in a casserole and moisten with chicken broth. Roast the bird. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for about 30 minutes, before serving.