Apple sausage stuffing

I made some apple sausage stuffing the other day to go with an early turkey that I purchased on sale. The interesting thing about this recipe is the custard, which represents a change from my usual apple-sausage stuffing recipe. We all liked it.

The recipe, below, is from epicurious.com and I used it as guide only. Without measuring, I'd have to say that I increased the sage and bay seasonings significantly relative to the recipe. I used a crusty whole grain bread (some fresh, some stale), home made turkey stock, and was more vigilant on the fats than the recipe calls for, buttering only the pan, leaving out the added butter, and partially draining the sausage fat.



Bon Appétit | November 2002

yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
This delicious stuffing is similar to a savory bread pudding. It's best baked alongside, rather than inside, the bird.
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Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 pound spicy pork bulk sausage
* 1 cup diced celery
* 1 cup diced onion
* 1 cup diced peeled cored apple
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
* 1 bay leaf


* 8 cups 1-inch cubes French bread with crusts (from 1-pound loaf)
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
* 3 large eggs, beaten to blend


Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; sauté until cooked through and brown, breaking into pieces with spoon, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Add celery and next 6 ingredients to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Add mixture to sausage. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Reheat to lukewarm before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add bread to sausage mixture. Whisk milk, broth, and butter in bowl to blend. Mix into stuffing; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs; transfer to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until cooked through and brown, about 50 minutes.