Best Country Bread Stuffing With Smoked Ham Goat Cheese And Dried Cherries Recipes

COUNTRY BREAD STUFFING WITH GOAT CHEESE, KALE AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the bread cubes and saute until lightly golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a baking sheet. Heat 2 more tablespoons of the oil and repeat with the remaining bread.
• Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the bacon and cook until the bacon is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Add the butter to the pan with the rendered bacon fat over medium heat. Once melted, add the carrots, celery and onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove and cool slightly.
• Put the bread cubes in a large bowl with the cooled vegetable mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth and add to the bread. Add the stock, making sure the mixture is very, very wet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and fold in the goat cheese, parsley, sage and reserved bacon. Transfer to the prepared pan and add the honey if using.
• Bake until golden brown and crispy on top and cooked through, about 35 minutes. Remove and let rest 15 minutes before serving.

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

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.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED CHERRY-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush the inside of an oven-proof skillet with vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Mix cherries, bread crumbs, egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, olive oil, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until combined.
• Cut a 1-inch slit in each chicken breast by slicing at an angle from the thick end of the breast toward the thinner end.
• Open flap and place one butterflied chicken breast between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Repeat with the other breast.
• Place half the stuffing on each chicken breast, place each breast on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a tight roll, twisting the ends of the plastic wrap to hold create a tight package.
• On a piece of plastic wrap, slightly overlap 2 slices of prosciutto so they are as wide as the rolled chicken breast. Unwrap rolled chicken breast and place the breast at one end of the prosciutto. Roll prosciutto around the stuffed breast using the plastic to make a tight roll. Repeat with the second stuffed breast and remaining 2 slices of prosciutto.
• Lay 4 pieces of string on the cutting board, about 1-inch apart. Place chicken roll across the strings, and tie each into a knot to keep the chicken from unrolling. Repeat for the second stuffed breast.
• Place stuffed, rolled chicken breasts in the prepared skillet and bake in the preheated oven until the prosciutto is browned and crispy and chicken is no longer pink, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove chicken to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil.
• Drain grease from the pan as desired, leaving juice and browned bits. Pour in chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until liquid has reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Remove twine from chicken breasts; slice into bite-sized pieces. Serve drizzled with pan sauce.

HOLIDAY GOAT CHEESE LOG

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in the bowl of a food processor until chopped. Add parsley and chives; continue to pulse until incorporated. Add cherries and process until everything is finely chopped and you have a nice mixture of red and green.
• Pour nut mixture onto a flat work surface and spread into a thin layer.
• Roll goat cheese log in the nut mixture until fully covered. Carefully pick it up and tap the ends of the log into the nut mixture to cover. Place on a serving dish.