Apple, Cranberry, Apricot Stuffing

Tags: apple, apricot, cranberry, Holidays, stuffing

A Little Personal History:

When it comes to Thanksgiving Turkey, a great stuffing with turkey gravy poured over all makes all the difference 🙂

Description:

Categories:	Bread, Stuffing, Holiday, Thanksgiving
Servings:	6-8 servings
Time:	– Preparation: 30 minutes – Cooking: 60 minutes
Equipment:	Prep: Cutting board and knives, apple corer, large skillet, whisk, basting brush, 2 baking sheets Serving: 3 quart glass or ceramic casserole dish
Difficulty:	Easy

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
• 1 pound sliced country white sandwich bread
• 1 large cooking apple (i.e. Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Braeburn, etc., see our complete list of favorite apples for cooking)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 celery stalks with leaves
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch fennel seeds
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 large egg

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Cut or tear bread into bite-size pieces. Lay bread pieces in a single layer on 1 or 2 baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool.
3. Peel, core, and coarsely chop the apple. Coarsely chop the onion, celery, and apricots. Chop the parsley.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple, onion, celery, apricots, cranberries, thyme, salt, and fennel seeds; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil (fruit & vegetable mixture). Remove from the heat.
6. Butter a shallow 3-quart casserole dish.
7. Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the toasted bread, fruit & vegetable mixture; toss until evenly moistened. 
8. Loosely pack the stuffing into the prepared casserole dish.
9. Bake, at 325 degrees F, uncovered, until the top is crusty, about 40 minutes. 
10. Brush melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more.

Advanced Preparation:

• Steps 1-2 (bread crumbs) can be done up to 2 days in advance and stored in large zip lock bag.
  Steps 3-7 can be done the day before if vacu-sealed & refrigerated. Bake an hour before serving.
  Alternatively, if you want to pre-bake, for Step 8 bake for 1st 30 minutes, on serving day, re-heat for 20 minutes, finish with Step 9.

Tips, Notes, and Variations:

• Tips: Put the stuffing in the oven during the last hour of cooking the turkey
• Variation: Cook 1/2 cup pork sausage until brown and crispy in the skillet. Remove to a plate and cook vegetables and fruit in the residual fat. Stir sausage into stuffing just before baking.