Monday, November 22, 2010

Avio Apple Stuffing Recipe


Wine Pairings: Avio ’07 Estate Aglianico,’07 Estate Sangiovese or ’08 Rose
Inspired by the delicious apples grown on the Avio Estate

There are many brands of stuffing mix.  This recipe is based on one 6-oz. bag.  Other ingredients can be increased or decreased based on your personal tastes.

Ingredients:
1 6 oz bag - stuffing mix
2 – Mild Italian uncooked sausages
½ cup – chopped macadamia nuts
1 – medium onion, finely diced
3 stalks – celery, finely diced
1 – carrot, finely diced
2T Olive Oil (for sautéing vegetables) 
1 cup – apple, peeled, cored & diced
½ cup – dried cranberries
Chicken broth or stock - use 1/4 cup less than your recipe suggests
1/4 cup - apple juice

For Casserole style Stuffing: Pre-heat oven to 350° F. 
If you’re stuffing a turkey, use your roasting recipe instructions for oven temperature.

Remove casing from sausages, and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage into very small pieces, as you cook it.  Set aside.

Dice onion, celery and carrot.  In a sauté pan, heat 2 T. of olive oil.  Add onion, celery and carrot, and cook just until tender.  Do not brown.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix, macadamia nuts, butter, sausage, vegetables and stock & juice.  Don’t add all the liquid at once.  If you’re putting this stuffing into a turkey to cook, you’ll want it less moist.  If you’re baking it as a casserole outside the bird, you’ll want it moister.  Pick your purpose, and add the liquids to suit.  The remainder of this recipe applies to casserole baking.

Transfer the stuffing into a glass baking dish.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes. For a crispy crust on the top, remove the lid for the last 10 minutes.