Chestnut, bacon & cranberry stuffing

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
This festive stuffing brings together all the trimmings in one gorgeous mass

Prep:40 mins
Cook:40 mins
Plus 1 hour to soak the cranberries

Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 123
fat 7g
saturates 3g
carbs 12g
sugars 0g
fibre 1g
protein 4g
salt 0.65g

Ingredients

100g dried cranberries
50ml ruby port
1 small onion, chopped
2 rashers unsmoked back bacon, cut into strips
50g butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
450g sausagemeat
140g fresh white or brown breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
140g peeled, cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Tip

Choose the best chestnuts
The best fresh chestnuts come from Italy, France or Spain. They should be glossy-skinned and plump, and weigh heavy in the hand – a sure sign of a good fat nut lurking inside. To save time, buy them freshly roasted from a friendly street vendor and peel while still warm on the way home.

Method

Soak the cranberries in the port for an hour. Fry the onion and bacon gently in the butter, until the onion is tender and the bacon is cooked. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.
Cool slightly, then mix with all the remaining ingredients, including the cranberries and port, adding enough egg to bind – I find it easiest to use my hands. Fry a knob of stuffing in a little butter, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
To Cook: This stuffing can be baked in a dish, or rolled into balls that will be crisp on the outside and moist inside. To bake, press the stuffing into a greased ovenproof dish in a layer that is around 4cm thick. Bake at 190C/gas 5/fan 170C for about 40 minutes, until browned and, in the case of sausagemeat stuffing, cooked right through. Alternatively, roll into balls that are about 4cm in diameter. Roast the stuffing balls in hot fat (they can be tucked around the turkey or done in a roasting tin of their own) for 30-40 minutes, until crisp and nicely browned on the outside.