Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Leeks

This stuffing recipe is a great combination of sweet and savoury flavours.  Winner winner turkey dinner.

Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Leeks

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Yield: 10-12 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 loaf sourdough, crust removed and cut into bite-sized cubes

• 1.5 lbs/ 680 g maple breakfast sausage, casings removed

• 1 large sweet onion, chopped

• 2 large leeks, chopped (white and pale green parts only)

• 4 large stalks of celery, chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized cubes

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided

• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

• 2 ½ cups chicken broth

• 3 eggs, beaten

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Parsley to garnish           
  
  
  

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange cubed bread in an even layer on a baking sheet, and bake until light brown, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place bread in a large bowl.

Fry sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces. Cook until golden brown, approximately 8 minutes. Place the sausage in the bowl of bread cubes. Without cleaning the pan, add onions, celery and leeks to the drippings and sauté until softened, approximately 8 minutes. Add garlic, sauté for an additional 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the bread bowl.

Without cleaning the skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the apples. Cook until tender, approximately 10 minutes, and then transfer to the bread bowl. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat and add fresh sage and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds and then pour the herb infused butter over all contents in the bread/sausage/vegetable bowl.

Preheat oven to 350F and position oven rack in the centre. Butter a large glass baking dish. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together eggs and chicken broth. Pour over bread mixture and toss together. Season with salt and pepper and then transfer all contents to the prepared dish. Bake uncovered until the top is crisp golden brown, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.