Apricot & Chestnut Stuffing

Serves: 6
This stuffing is cooked in a separate dish rather than inside the bird, so it becomes very crisp. It is really good with turkey, goose or chicken.

Ingredients

  • 225g ready-to-eat dried apricots
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 225g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 75g butter plus extra for greasing
  • 225g frozen chestnuts, thawed and roughly chopped
  • a generous bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. You will need a shallow ovenproof dish, about 20cm x 28cm x 5cm.
  • 2
    Chop the apricots into small pieces the size of raisins.
  • 3
    Measure 600ml water into a pan, add the onion and apricot pieces, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well.
  • 4
    Put the breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Melt the measured butter in a nonstick frying pan, and pour half of it on to the breadcrumbs.
  • 5
    Add the chestnuts to the remaining melted butter in the frying pan and brown lightly. Mix together with the apricots, onion, parsley and breadcrumbs. Season well with salt and pepper.
  • 6
    Turn into a buttered ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until crisp.
  • 7
    TIP Buy frozen chestnuts as soon as you see them in the supermarkets, as they sell out very quickly. Vacuum-packed ones, which are widely available, are a suitable alternative.
  • Preparing Ahead

  • 1
    Prepare to the end of stage 4. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Cook as above but for a little longer. If preferred, cook the day before and reheat until piping hot on the day. You could also freeze it at the end of stage 4 for about 1 month.
  • In the AGA

  • 1
    Slide the dish on to the floor of the roasting oven for 25-30 minutes until crisp.

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