Lynn's Sausage Chestnut Stuffing
1 lb Fresh chestnuts
2 c Chicken stock
1/2 lb Breakfast-style or sweet
-Italian sausage
8 tb Butter
3 Stalks celery, finely -chopped
2 oz Prosciutto
ham, finely -chopped
2 c Bread cubes, lightly toasted -on a baking sheet -in the
oven
-Salt and freshly ground -black pepper, to taste
Peel the chestnuts and cut
each into quarters. Gently simmer the chestnuts in the stock in a saucepan over
medium heat for 10 minutes, or until tender. Crumble the sausage and brown it in
a frying pan over medium heat. Transfer the sausage to a colander to drain off
the fat. Melt the butter in the sausage pan. Cook the celery over low heat for 5
minutes, or until tender, adding the ham after 3 minutes. Stir in the bread
cubes, cooked sausage, cooked chestnuts, half of the stock, and salt and pepper
to taste. Add stock as necessary; the stuffing should be moist but not soggy.
Spoon the stuffing into a buttered baking dish; cover with foil and bake in a
350F oven for 15 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Alternatively, spoon the
stuffing into the cavity of a capon or turkey.
Courage is the capacity to confront what can be imagined.
- Leo C. Rosten