Bacon Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 quart organic or natural chicken stock or broth
1 loaf of good sourdough bread, with a nice crust
1/2 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 pound sliced bacon
2 cups dried organic cranberries
2 cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (removed from stems)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Method:
Step 1: Bring stock or broth to a boil; reduce
heat and simmer until needed. Preheat oven to 250º.
Step 2: Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. (Some pieces will have crust and some will
not.) Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Toss to coat evenly. Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and put them in the
warm oven to dry out.
Step 3: Cut bacon strips into 1×1/4-inch pieces. In a large pot, warm remaining 1/4
cup olive oil to medium heat and add bacon. Cook until fat is released and
pieces are light brown and crispy. Stir in cranberries, thyme, Rosemary
mushrooms, and celery. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
Step 4: By now the bread cubes should have dried out nicely. Increase heat to 400º
and toast until edges start to crisp and turn dark golden brown. Remove from
oven and add to bacon-cranberry mixture. Roll the bread cubes through the
mixture to coat evenly. Add simmering stock and stir until stock is absorbed.
(The bread cubes should hold their shape but be moist all the way through.)
Taste a bread cube and add salt or pepper to taste.
Step 5: Transfer to a serving bowl. Keep warm in the oven until you’re ready to
serve.
Notes:
This stuffing is meant as a side dish. Stuffing the turkey cavity slows cooking
and is not recommended for health reasons.
Bacon is my favorite in the whole world!I can eat bacon everyday without feeling nauseated. This dish gives me another reason to love bacon.