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This is a favorite of all the family for
years -- a basic simple sage and bread stuffing with a few extra twists
that make it exceptional'
This amount of stuffing is for an
approximate 18-pound bird, with plenty of extra for additional servings
for the day plus leftovers for tomorrow.
Bread:
take a half loaf of plain white bread and crumble it well
one pound of saltines, crumbled
0.6 (or about) pounds of prepared bread crumbs (unspiced!)
>>Mix all of the above very well and set aside
>>(also take the innards and boil them
in some water and set aside)
Step one:
one quarter pound of butter
one quarter cup vegetable oil
10-12 garlics, peeled and chopped fine
9-10 slices of fresh ginger, peeled and diced
>>Sautee the garlic and ginger in the
heated butter/oil for about two minutes
Step two:
one quarter pound more butter
one medium onion, diced
one leek, sliced thin and chopped
three medium shallots, chopped fine
6-7 small celery stalks, chopped
25 fresh sage leaves
8-20 sprigs of fresh thyme
a little basil if available
zest of one-half medium lemon
>>Heat the butter. Add the onion, leek and shallots and sautee until the
onion is just tender. Add the celery and then a minute later add the
sage, thyme, basil and lemon. Saute until the celery is slightly soft
but still a touch crunchy.
Step three:
one-third cup Marsala
one-third cup dry sherry
one-third cup parsley
salt and pepper
>>add the Marsala and Sherry and thirty
seconds later add the parsley. Boil away the liquor for a minute or two.
Then -- this is key -- add and taste for salt and pepper and continue to
taste until just right.
Step four:
Put this mixture in with the bread crumbs. Mix. Add the liquid from
boiling the innards. Add hot water and mix and stir. Continue to add hot
water, and stirring, until the bread is slightly soft, and very slightly
soggy. Bread should still be fluffy, not sogged down. Test again for
salt and pepper. When all is just right, add another one-quarter cup of
fresh chopped parsley and six more chopped fresh sage leaves. Stir.
Stuff bird fore and aft (not too full) and put the rest of the stuffing
in a pan for roasting separately.
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