SAVORY SAUSAGE CHESTNUT DRESSING

Savory Sausage Chestnut Dressing image

Just in time for Thanksgiving. Every year I make a different dressing or stuffing but never write it down. This year I did. It's savory with the sausage and the mushrooms, the traditional flavors of the chestnuts and cranberries and the sweet from the tangerine segments. It will go perfectly with your Thanksgiving turkey or ham....

Provided by George Levinthal

Time 1h40m

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 medium onion, white or yellow, large dice
2 stalk(s) celery
1 c unsalted butter, divided
12 oz savory herb sausage, casing removed
1 c chopped mushrooms, button or cremini
4 clove garlic, finely chopped or minced
1 c roasted chestnuts, rough chopped
3 pkg cornbread stuffing mix, 6 ounces each
2 tsp kosher or sea salt, divided
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, divided
1-1/2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground celery seed
1 c dried cranberries
1 egg, beaten
2 c low sodium chicken or turkey stock
2 to 3 seedless tangerines (cutties)

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 deg. F.
2. In a large, rimmed frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat and add the onions and celery. Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Break up the sausage, add to the pan and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and another pinch of salt and pepper. If needed, add another tablespoon of butter. Stir to combine and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and chopped chestnuts, turn the heat to medium low and continue cooking for two to three minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
5. In a large mixing bowl combine the stuffing mix with 1 teaspoon of the salt, ½ teaspoon of the pepper and all of the sage, paprika and celery seed. Melt 1 stick of the butter and add to the bowl along with 1 cup of the stock and the dried cranberries. Add the contents of the frying pan and combine thoroughly. Taste and add more salt, pepper and stock to taste.
6. When the mixture has cooled slightly, add the egg and combine.
7. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish and add everything from the bowl. Peel the tangerines, separate the segments and decorate the top of the dressing with the segments. If you taste a few, that's just fine.
8. Baked covered with aluminum foil for about 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove the foil add a little more butter or stock if it seems a little dry and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the top is beginning to get a little crispy. Serve with you favorite gravy and enjoy.