Chestnut Stuffing with Bacon

Savory mushrooms, buttery chestnuts, our pastured bacon, and woodsy rosemary make this a deliciously aromatic side to serve with turkey on a holiday table or a roasted chicken any night of the week. For a bit of tanginess, use a sourdough bread baguette. Either way, complement the warm flavors with tart cranberry sauce or pear chutney and claim it as an old family recipe.
Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Baking time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Ingredients:
1 baguette large; cut into 1-inch cubes
4 strips of bacon cut in half inch pieces
1 pound cremini mushrooms; washed, trimmed, and sliced
1 medium yellow onion; peeled and diced
1 stalk celery; washed, trimmed, and chopped
1 cup chicken stock
4 cups prepared chestnuts; quartered
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley; chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary; chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on an ungreased baking sheet
- Bake until the cubes are lightly toasted, about 12 minutes, stirring twice during baking to ensure they toast evenly. Let the cubes cool, then place them in a very large mixing bowl. Increase the oven’s temperature to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch dish with baking spray and set aside.
- Chop chain in to half inch pieces and cook in skillet over medium heat to render the fat. Remove bacon from skillet.
- Sauté the mushrooms, onions, and celery for about 8 in rendered bacon fat for approximately 8 minutes on medium high heat, until beginning to soften. Stir in cooked bacon. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the bread.
- Pour the chicken stock into the bowl and add the chestnuts, parsley, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and stir gently to combine.
- Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake the stuffing for 20 minutes, remove the foil, then bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and fairly dry. Let cool for 10 minutes, then enjoy.