It seems like folly to let Thanksgiving pass without a recipe, so here’s a Spanish-style stuffing to serve alongside your turkey. Rather than the traditional savory-bread-and-herb concoction, this one is sweet, nutty, and fatty – quite far removed from what you were probably planning. But don’t worry, you can perhaps save this one for another winter feast, and if you want the full effect, cook the turkey with butter under the skin and stuffed with brandy-soaked oranges.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound pitted prunes
1/2 pound dried apricots
3/4 cup brandy
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 pound ground pork (or chicken)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage without casing
2/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
1/3 cup ground almonds (or almond butter)
1 tsp cinnamon
First, chop the prunes and apricots, place them in a bowl, and add the brandy. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes. While the fruit is soaking, preheat the oven to 375 – hopefully the oven is preheated for your turkey.
Fry the onion until golden brown, and then add ground meat. Season to taste, and cook until it has changed color. Add sausage, and again, cook until it changes color. Stir in the nuts, and then add almonds and cinnamon. Add the fruit and brandy, and mix thoroughly.
Place the mixture in a casserole, cover with lid or tin foil, and bake for 40-50 minutes.
This is the richest, most decadent stuffing you’ll ever have, and is practically a meal unto itself. Experiment with leftovers to make hash for breakfast the next morning, and the truly adventurous may even puree the leftovers into a thrilling pâté of sorts.
[This recipe is adapted from Claudia Roden's excellent The Food of Spain]
