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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
50 minutes
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Serves
8 to 10 servings
Author Notes
Here’s a recipe for my ideal stuffing, which is made with big pieces of crispy sourdough, shaved fennel as well as fennel sausage, and lots of butter and herbs.
• Even if you use day old bread, I’d recommend toasting it in the oven to really crisp it up. This will help prevent the stuffing from getting soggy.
• If you don’t want to use that much butter, swap ½ cup for olive oil. You can swap the onion for leek if desired for a slightly sweeter and milder flavor.
—Nea Arentzen
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Ingredients
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1 pound
fennel or sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
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1 1/4 pounds
(1 loaf) day-old sourdough, torn into large 1½-inch pieces (16 cups)
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1 cup
salted butter (see note)
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2 cups
onion, chopped (1 extra large stocks)
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2 cups
celery, sliced (about 4 large)
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2 cups
loosely packed fennel, very thinly sliced (½ bulb)
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6
garlic cloves, chopped
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3 tablespoons
fresh rosemary, chopped
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3 tablespoons
fresh sage, chopped
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3 tablespoons
fresh parsley, chopped
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3 tablespoons
fresh thyme
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1/2 cup
white wine
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a pinch of Diamond crystal kosher salt
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freshly ground black pepper
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2 cups
chicken or vegetable broth
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 300ºF/C with a rack in the center. Spread the torn bread out onto a non-oiled baking sheet and toast until crispy and dry but not yet browned, tossing halfway through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
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Increase the heat to 375ºFº/C with a rack in the middle position. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until browned but not fully cooked, breaking up into small pieces and stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
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In the same skillet over medium, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the celery and fennel and cook until softened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and herbs until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Add the white wine; cook, stirring until some of the wine has cooked off. Season with lots of salt and black pepper.
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Add the sauteed vegetables and cooked sausage to the bread in the baking dish; gently toss until everything is evenly mixed. Slowly pour the broth all across the stuffing, season to taste with more salt and pepper as needed, then toss very gently making sure not to crush the bread too much.
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Cover with tin foil and bake until the edges start to crisp, about 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 425ºF/222ºC. Remove the tin foil and bake until deep golden brown on top and crispy, an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with more herbs sprinkled over top.
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