Chorizo Dressing With Leeks
The better the bread you use here (a thick-crusted country loaf, sliced and toasted quite dry in the oven works well), the better the end result. It acts as a kind of canvas for the sweetness of the leeks and the dry, fragrant heat of the chorizo. You can make it well in advance of serving it alongside turkey, chicken or pork, at least as long as you leave time to reheat it in the oven, covered, with a few splashes of stock to moisten it. Just pull off the foil for the last few minutes to allow the top to crisp.
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 5to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1(1 1/2-pound) loaf crusty bread, halved and sliced into thumb-thick slices
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2large leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons (approximately 3 cups)
- ¼teaspoon salt
- ½teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- ¼teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6ounces dry (cured) chorizo, skin removed, quartered lengthwise and chopped
- 2tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1tablespoon sweet (dulce) smoked paprika
- ½teaspoon dried oregano
- 3to 4 cups chicken or turkey stock, divided
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter one or two large sheet pans. Spread the bread pieces out on the pan or pans. Bake in the oven, tossing occasionally, until well toasted, about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans and turning the bread about halfway through. Remove sheet pans and allow to cool.Step 2
Place a large skillet over medium heat and swirl the olive oil into it. When it shimmers, add leeks, salt, black pepper and red pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. (If the leeks begin to stick to the pan, you can add a couple tablespoons of water here to prevent them from burning.) Add chorizo and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and begins to redden the leeks, an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Add vinegar to the pan to deglaze it, cook for a minute or so, then dump mixture into a large bowl.Step 3
Add smoked paprika and oregano, mix well, then tear and crumble the toasts into bite-sized pieces, add them to the bowl and stir to combine. Add turkey or chicken stock, a cup at a time, mixing as you go, until the dressing is moist but not entirely wet. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter, drizzle it over the bread mixture, and gently fold to combine.Step 4
Transfer the dressing to a well-buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan and bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until crusty on top and at the edges. Add a little more turkey stock as needed to keep it from drying out.