HappyCook80's Recipe

Chestnut and Baked Sausage Dressing

Category: Recipes

Chestnut and Baked Sausage Dressing

1 loaf French or Italian coarse country bread, 1 pound
3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 pound well-seasoned lean bulk pork sausage
1/4 pound lean ground beef
2 to 2 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
1 jar, 1 pound prepared roasted chestnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper

The night before you plan to serve the dressing, tear the bread into small pieces and spread out on a baking sheet. Let dry,
uncovered.

The next day, preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3 quart baking dish. In a frying pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. When hot, add the onion and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the sausage and beef to the same pan over medium heat and saute, breaking them up with a fork, until the meats are crumbly and have changed color, 8 to 10 minutes and do not allow to brown. Remove from the heat, drain off any fat and set aside.

Place the bread in a large bowl. While tossing the bread with a fork, drizzle the milk a little at a time, just until the bread cubes are evenly moistened. You may not need all of the milk. Add the reserved onion and celery and meat mixture along with the chestnuts, sage and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix until well blended.

Spoon loosely into the prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until lightly browned on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve immediately, directly from the dish.
Serves 6 to 8.