All Dressed Up! Savory Southern Tricolor Dressing

By Tammie Hughes

Southerners, please do not be offended because I am not using cornbread! I am using a trio of breads: pumpernickel, sourdough, and caraway rye. I also do not use eggs or too much chicken stock; this dressing is meant to be fluffy and loose. The breads are paired with apples, pancetta, roasted pecans, leeks, fennel, and the regular suspects of celery, onion, herbs, and chicken stock. In the South, the word “dressing” is most commonly used as opposed to the term “stuffing.” No one really stuffs a bird anymore due to safety concerns, unless it is stuffed with the prepared dressing after the turkey is cooked, for aesthetics. This dressing is a hit every time it’s served, with its explosion of sweet and savory flavors.

INGREDIENTS

2 c. Each Cubed Bread Pumpernickel, Caraway Rye, and Sourdough
2 Tb. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
½ Stick Butter
2 c. Chicken Stock + 1 Knorr® Chicken Bouillon Cube
4 oz. Pancetta  (or Smoked Bacon, About 3 Thick Strips)
½ c. Roasted Pecans
1 Medium Opal (or Golden Delicious) Apple, Diced
1 Small Red Apple, Diced
2 Tb. Fresh Rosemary Needles
2 Tb. Fresh Sage, Snipped
1 Tb. Fresh Thyme, Leaves Snipped from Stem
2 Tb. Poultry Seasoning
½ Tsp. Each—Salt, Pepper, and White Pepper
All Vegetables Below are Loosely Chopped and Sautéed Together with the EVOO, Butter, and ½ c. Chicken Stock
½ Medium Onion
3 Stalks Celery
1 Medium Shallot
1 Leek (Trimmed, Washed, Sliced, Rinsed Again re. Notoriously Sandy)
½ Fennel Bulb + a Few Fern Leaf Tops

INSTRUCTIONS

Chop the bread into cubes and bake on a sheet pan in the oven at 325 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. Remove when dried and let cool while you sauté the vegetables.

Loosely chop all of the vegetables.

Add the pancetta (or bacon) to a sauté pan and cook approximately 4 minutes.

Add 2 Tb of Olive Oil, ¼ stick of butter, and ½ c. of chicken stock with the Knorr® bouillon cube dissolved in the liquid.

Next, add the chopped vegetables and sauté for 10-12 minutes, covered, on medium heat.

To finish, add the poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and white pepper and mix in with the cooked vegetables.

In a separate bowl combine the dried bread crumbs, the fresh herbs, pecans, fresh apples, and cooked vegetable mixture, and the remaining one and a half cups of chicken stock. Toss thoroughly to distribute the liquid throughout.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Fluff up the dressing with a little toss before serving.