I started growing sage in a container on my deck several years ago. I later transplanted it into my garden, and it’s now a sage bush that has thrived year after year with almost no maintenance!
A few years back, I was planning to make a chicken dinner and wanted to include stuffing. I almost always have fresh sage, and so I searched through Storey’s Country Wisdom Bulletin Growing & Using Sage (now out of print, but available as an e-book) and found a recipe for Fresh Sage Chicken Stuffing.
The recipe was good but needed a few adjustments. Over the years, I have altered it a little at a time, even creating a vegetarian variation. Below is my version of the recipe, which includes a few ingredients that weren’t in the original.
Fresh Sage Stuffing
MAKES 4 TO 6 CUPS
Since you may have fresh sage leaves even in late November, this is a good recipe to make for Thanksgiving. If you are planning to stuff a turkey with this dressing, you should double the recipe.
Ingredients
1 loaf of slightly stale bread, any kind (ciabatta is wonderful)Directions
4 tablespoons butter (use more if needed)
½ cup chopped onion
⅓ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped hot peppers (optional — adds a spicy kick)
½ cup chopped kale (optional — adds color, flavor, and nutrients)
1 14-oz can of vegetable broth (or chicken broth, if you don’t need vegetarian stuffing)
4 tablespoons fresh common sage, chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (also consider basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Cube the bread or break it into small pieces with your hands.
- In a skillet, melt butter and sauté the onion and celery (and hot peppers and kale, if using) 3-5 minutes, or until just soft. Add 2 tablespoons of broth, and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
- Add the sage and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Follow Directions above.
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.
- Put the bread cubes into a bowl and pour the sautéed mixture over it. With a spatula or spoon, mix until well combined.
- Slowly add the broth and mix well as you go. All of the broth may not be needed, so pay close attention — the bread should be moist, but not saturated.
- Blend again, adding pepper to taste.
- Pack stuffing into the casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, until top is golden and slightly crisp.
- Follow Directions above.
- Heat the oven according to directions for cooking your chicken or turkey.
- Put the bread cubes into a bowl and pour the sautéed mixture over it. With a spatula or spoon, mix until well combined.
- Add a few tablespoons of broth (you don’t need much; the stuffing will be moistened with the juices from the bird).
- Blend again, adding pepper to taste.
- Place stuffing into the chicken or turkey and bake. When the bird is done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the stuffing. If it has not reached 165°F, transfer the stuffing to a baking dish and bake until it reaches 165°F.
Note: If you have extra stuffing, you can bake it separately (see Directions for Cooking Stuffing in a Baking Dish, above) or freeze it for later use.
Excerpted and adapted from Growing & Using Sage by Patti Barrett, © Storey Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Go to: A Twist on Tradition Thanksgiving Menu for more great Thanksgiving recipes.
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