Pilaf & Stuffing

Roasted Chestnut Stuffing

Chestnuts add a great flavor to holiday turkeys - and chickens! To stuff a chicken, quarter (approximately) the recipe.

• 4 c. torn or cubed bread (preferably sourdough)
• 3 c. peeled roasted chestnuts
• 4-6 shallots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 T. fresh thyme, minced
• 10 T. butter (11/4 stick)
• salt and pepper
• OPTION: 1/4 c. heavy cream

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, celery and minced thyme. Cook, stirring often until soft - about 5 minutes.
2. Add bread and continue to cook, stirring often, until it is lightly browned. Remove skillet from heat.
3. Coarsely chop 1 cup of the chestnuts. Add all the chestnuts (chopped and whole) to the bread mixture and season with salt and pepper. The stuffing should be moist, but not all stuck together. If it doesn't seem moist enough, or if you just want extra rich stuffing, drizzle it with the OPTIONAL heavy cream.
4. Spoon stuffing into bird, truss, and bake. OR transfer stuffing to a buttered baking dish and bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking another 15 minutes, until stuffing is golden.

Makes 10 servings

Nutty Wild Rice Pilaf

Sage, walnuts and celery make this earthy side dish a savory treat.

• 1 c. wild rice (see tip)
• 4 c. water
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2-3 shallots, peeled and diced
• 1 /2 c. roasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 T. butter OR olive oil
• OPTION: 1/3 c. dried cranberries

1. Bring rice, sage, 1 T. butter OR olive oil, and cranberries (IF using), to boil in the water with a pinch of salt. Cover the pot, but crack the lid, and cook at a low boil for around 50 minutes. Don't stir while cooking.
2. While the rice cooks, sauté the celery and shallots in 1 T. butter OR olive oil until the shallots are translucent and the celery is tender, around 10 minutes.
3. Add the shallots and celery to the cooking rice. Stir once.
4. When the rice is done, gently stir in the roasted walnuts.

Makes 4 servings

Tip: To make your wild rice more nutritious and digestible, soak it before cooking. It's easy: put the rice in the pot you'll be using, and add water to cover. Let it sit out on the counter for several hours or overnight. Then drain it and add fresh water for cooking.