I think one of my favorite things about any holiday meal has to be the stuffing, or dressing as it is sometimes also called! The two terms seem to be used interchangeably, although arguably stuffing would denote something which has been stuffed into something else, and dressing . . . well, dressing usually makes me think of salads and something tasty that you pour over top of them!
My mother always made the best stuffing. She used plenty of sage and poultry seasoning. She also used raw onion, rather than cooking the onion. Stale bread, salt and pepper and mashed potato made up the rest, with perhaps a small amount of the turkey juices.
It was a bit unconventional for sure, but we always thought it was the best and there is not a one of us in my family today that wouldn't kill to have my mother make it again for us. Somehow whenever I try to make hers, mine never ever tastes as good as the memory of hers does in my mind!
This is very similar, but it is my own version and it is also very, very good. I cook my onion first as some people find the sharpness of raw onion quite unpalatable. You can either stuff it (completely cooled) into the bird, or you can bake a casserole dish of it along side of the bird. Either way, you are in for a real treat!
*Sage & Onion Stuffing*Makes 8 servingsPrintable Recipe
One word for this. Perfect.
450g onions, peeled and chopped (1 pound)300ml water (1 1/3 cups)75g butter, melted, plus extra for buttering the dish (1/3 cup)1 TBS chopped fresh sage leaves225g fresh soft white bread crumbs (8 slices, 1/2 pound)salt and black pepper to taste
Place the chopped onion into a saucepan. Cover with the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Drain very well. Stir in the butter and the remaining ingredients, tossing to combine and seasoning to taste. Allow to cool completely if you are using it to stuff a bird. If you are cooking it separately. Place into a buttered dish. Dot butter over the top. Cover and bake in a 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4 oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes to crisp up the top if desired.
Note - One potato mashed can be stirred into the bread crumbs along with the onion and then you have Bread, Sage & Onion Stuffing. This is as my mother always made it.
What would a leftover turkey sandwich be without a layer of stuffing to give it some extra flavour! Not half of what it should and could be I wager! Bon Appetit!
