This amazing wild-rice stuffing recipe is bursting with rustic flavors, including rye bread, sausage, apples, dried cherries, pecans and fresh herbs.
To make ahead: Prepare the rice, cover it and refrigerate for up to three days. Toast the bread, cover and store it at room temperature for up to two days.
Wild Rice Stuffing With Apple and Sausage
Active time: 1 1⁄4 hours
Total time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
1 1⁄4 cups (8 ounces) wild rice
Water
4 cups cubed Jewish rye bread ( 1⁄2-inch cubes), preferably day-old
Nonstick cooking spray
1 pound sweet turkey sausage, casings removed
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light-green parts only
2 tart apples, cut into 1⁄4-inch dice
1 cup diced celery
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken or turkey broth
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 1⁄2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat an oven to 300 degrees.
Place the rice in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover it by about 1 1⁄2 inches. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook it until it is tender, for about 1 hour. (Or, prepare it according to package directions.) Drain well.
Meanwhile, spread the bread on a baking sheet; bake, stirring once halfway through, until it is dry and crisp, for about 25 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Coat a 3- to 4-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
About 15 minutes before the rice is done, cook the sausage and leeks in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, until the sausage is browned, for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the apples and celery; cook for 3 minutes more.
Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl. Add the rice and bread, then stir in the broth, cherries, pecans, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer it to the prepared baking dish and cover it tightly with foil.
Bake the stuffing for 35 minutes. Uncover it and bake until the top is browned, for 15 to 20 minutes more.
Makes 14 servings, 1 cup each.
