This was a version of my regular turkey dressing, but after having this I don’t think we can go back to the old one, not for a holiday meal. We gathered at Leilah’s place on Sunday for Thanksgiving dinner. I brought the dressing, roasted vegetables, beet salad, cheesecake and the dobos. [Dobos is a tort] Keeping with tradition there were fabulous apple and pumpkin pies as well, but those were made by Leilah’s mother in law, Heather. Back to the dressing, I added 3/4 cup of pan roasted chopped almonds, a whole package of freshly chopped parsley leaves, 3 fresh leaves of chopped sage and 1 Tbsp of dried cranberries. The dressing was already tasty when I assembled it. I don't want to mislead with the above photo, what you see here is more than double of the amount the recipe makes. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the finished product, but here is a section from the movie clip I made at the table.
It is well worth to make the dressing the day before.
Put it in the fridge for the night.
Take it out next morning to let it come to room temperature.
Then bake it for 30 minutes while the turkey rests.
8 slices of deli style light rye, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
[don't use soft, fluffy bread]
1/2 onions, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 package fresh parsley leaves, chopped
3 fresh sage leaves, chopped
3/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1 large or 2 small eggs
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 Tbsp dried cranberries
1/4 cup dry wine
about 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth [exact amount will vary]
cooking spray
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Arrange bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until crisp but not browned.
• Meanwhile prepare the vegetables.
• Chop the onions and set aside.
• Chop the celery and set aside.
• Mince the garlic and set aside.
• Chop the fresh parsley and the fresh sage and set aside.
• Coarsely chop the nuts with a chef’s knife.
• Place 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a non stick fry pan.
• Add the chopped almonds and roast them crisp, stirring occasionally.
• Set the roasted nuts aside.
• Melt 2 Tbsp butter on medium heat.
• Sauté the onions until translucent, stirring them occasionally.
• Add the celery and continue to sauté until celery is almost tender.
• Meanwhile transfer the bread to a large bowl.
• Add the onion and celery mixture to the bread.
• Add the chopped parsley and sage to the bread.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Add the minced garlic, parsley and the egg[s].
• Add the roasted nuts and the dry cranberries.
• With clean hands, gently stir to combine ingredients.
• Sprinkle dressing with the wine, gently moving the bread to coat it evenly.
• This is crucial: bit by bit sprinkle a little broth over the dressing. Total amount will depend on the type of bread used. Stuffing should be lightly moistened, but NOT wet.
• Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
• Pour in the prepared dressing, press it down lightly, neatly arranging the top.
• Cover the dish with a lid or with foil and set it aside.
• If dressing is made the day before, refrigerate it overnight.
• If dressing was refrigerated, remove from the fridge as soon as the turkey goes in the oven.
• When the turkey is removed from the oven to be tented, place the still covered dressing in the oven.
• Bake the dressing for 15 minutes at 400F until dressing is warmed through.
• Reduce heat to 375F, uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer or until golden.
• Baking time will increase for larger quantities.
