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Side Dish
American
10 - 12 servings
15 minutes
25 minutes
6 cups white bread, day old homemade-style, torn into bite-size pieces
2 organic yellow onions, chopped
4 stalks organic celery, chopped
3 tablespoons sage leaves, minced
2 tablespoons thyme leaves, minced
1 tablespoon Rosemary leaves, minced
1 tablespoon Savory leaves, minced
1 stick unsalted butter
1 pound Italian chestnuts, shelled, and peeled, chopped coarse
1/2 cup organic parsley leaves, finely chopped
Heated broth or water as needed for side dish (up to 3 cups)
With a sharp knife cut an X on the round side of each chestnut.
Spread the chestnuts in one layer in a jelly-roll pan, add 1/4 cup water, and bake the chestnuts in a preheated 450°F oven for 10 minutes, or until the shells open.
Remove the chestnuts, a handful at a time and shell and peel them while they are still hot.
Reheat the oven to 325°F.
In a shallow baking pan arrange the bread pieces in one layer, bake them in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden, and transfer them to a large bowl.
In a large skillet cook the onions, the celery, the sage, the thyme, the rosemary, and the savory in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, add the chestnuts, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the vegetable mixture to the bread pieces, tossing the mixture well, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and let the stuffing cool completely.
If preparing as a side dish only, add just enough broth of choice to moisten stuffing as desired, transfer to a lightly buttered dish and bake with other side dishes.
The stuffing may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
Makes enough to stuff a 12 to 14 pound turkey with extra to bake on the side.
