SAUSAGE, APPLE, AND PRUNE STUFFING

SAUSAGE, APPLE, AND PRUNE STUFFING image

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 17

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6 oz pitted prunes, chopped coarse
½ cups Madeira wine
18 lb turkey, with giblets
2 cups chopped onion
3 ½ sticks butter, unsalted
2 c celery finely chopped
2 c tart apple (McIntosh or Granny Smith), cored and finely chopped
1 ½ lbs mild pork sausage
5 cups day old French bread, cut into ½ inch cubes and toasted
1/3 c fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp sage, chopped
1 tbsp thyme, minced
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ c heavy cream
4 tsp arrowroot or cornstarch
¼ c cold water

Steps:

In a ceramic or glass bowl let 6 ounces pitted pruned, chopped coarse, macerate in ½ cup Madeira for 2 hours. In a stainless steel or enameled skillet cook 2 cups chopped onion in 1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter over moderate heat for 5 minutes, or until it is softened. Add 2 cups each of chopped celery and peeled, cored, and chopped tart apple, cook the mixture for 5 minutes, or until the celery is softened slightly, and transfer it with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the fat remaining in the skillet cook 1 ½ pounds sausage meat, breaking it up with a fork, and the reserved turkey liver, minced, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is lightly colored, and transfer the mixture to the bowl. Cut enough day-old French or Italian bread into ½ inch cubes to measure 5 cups, spread it in a jelly-roll pan and toast it in a preheated moderately slow oven (325 F) for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is crisp and slightly golden. Transfer the bread to the bowl, add the prune mixture, 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried, 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, and freshly grated nutmeg, slat, and pepper to taste, and toss the stuffing well. Let the stuffing cool.