Brioche Chestnut Stuffing
Stuffing with made from eggy brioche and roasted chestnuts is a Thanksgiving classic. This one, seasoned with celery, onion and sage, and a little diced fennel for sweetness and depth, sticks relatively close to tradition. Use it to stuff a turkey, if you like, but it’s even better baked separately in a shallow casserole dish, so the top can get nice and crisp. If you’d like to bake it ahead, you can do so up to 6 hours in advance. Just before serving, reheat it in a 350-degree oven.
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 1(14- to 16-ounce) brioche loaf, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 8tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus more for the pan
- 1large onion, diced
- 2large celery ribs, thinly sliced
- ½cup diced fennel (about 1/2 small fennel bulb)
- 1 ½teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 5ounces roasted, peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
- ½teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 ½cups turkey or chicken stock
- 2large eggs
- ¼cup chopped parsley
Instructions
Step 1
Arrange brioche pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Let them dry out overnight, or place them in a 200-degree oven for an hour or two. (They’ll be ready when they feel stale to the touch but haven't taken on any color.)Step 2
Heat oven to 375 degrees, and butter a shallow, 2-quart casserole or gratin dish. On a pot on the stove or in the microwave, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Put bread in the prepared baking dish and toss with melted butter. Bake until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then transfer toast to a large bowl. (Don’t wash the baking dish; you’ll use it again for the stuffing.)Step 3
In a 12-inch skillet, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until soft and just starting to brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in thyme and sage, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl with brioche. Gently fold in chestnuts and pepper and let cool.Step 4
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups stock, eggs, parsley and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Fold gently into bread mixture, then scrape it all back into prepared baking dish. Drizzle on remaining 1 cup stock until the mixture is moist but not squishy; you may not need all the stock.Step 5
Cover dish with foil and bake until lightly springy, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown, another 20 to 30 minutes.