The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (61 page)

2 cups chestnuts (12 ounces in the shells, 8 ounces shelled)

1 loaf rustic Italian or French bread (about 1 pound)

2 cups prunes, coarsely chopped (12 ounces)

1 cup apple cider

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch dice

2 green apples, cored, cut into ¼-inch dice

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a chestnut knife or a small paring knife, make an incision about
¹
/
₈
inch deep through the shell and into the flesh of the chestnut almost all the way around the circumference of the nut. Transfer to a chestnut pan or rimmed baking pan. Roast in the oven until the chestnuts are tender, about 35 minutes. Turn the oven off. Leaving the pan with the chestnuts in the oven, remove several at a time. Working quickly, place 1 chestnut in a towel, and, holding both, peel the chestnut while still hot. Remove and discard the shells and inner skin; coarsely chop, and set aside.

2.
Remove crusts from the bread, and set aside. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a single layer on two baking sheets, and toast in the oven until dry, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool. Place the reserved crusts in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until coarse crumbs are formed.

3.
Place the prunes and apple cider in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

4.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the chestnuts, red onion, half the celery, and half the apples. Cook until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

5.
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and crumbs, prune mixture, chestnut mixture, remaining celery, apples, eggs, heavy cream, and sage. Stir to combine. The juices from the brine will season the stuffing; stir before serving.

6.
The stuffing can be baked in turkey until its temperature reaches 165°F. Excess stuffing can be seasoned with salt and pepper and baked in a buttered baking dish, covered, at 350°F for 30 minutes and then uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

spice butter

MAKES 1 CUP

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine the butter, salt, pepper, thyme, cumin, garlic powder, pepper flakes, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer or by hand until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 4 days.

tuscan roast turkey breast

SERVES 10 TO 12

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped, plus 5 sprigs for roasting

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage, plus 5 sprigs for roasting

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

1 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely chopped

1 dried chile, crumbled

1 garlic clove, minced

1 turkey breast (about 7 pounds), deboned, trimmed, and butterflied

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces pancetta or bacon, thinly sliced

1 cup black seedless grapes (optional)

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought turkey or chicken stock

Farro, Orange, and Pine Nut Dressing, for serving (Side Dishes)

1.
Stir 3 tablespoons oil, parsley, coarsely chopped rosemary, chopped sage, zest, fennel seeds, chile, and garlic in a bowl. Rub all over turkey, and season with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow, nonreactive baking pan; cover. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight).

2.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Let turkey stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Put herb sprigs into pan. Roll up turkey. Cover evenly with pancetta, and tie with kitchen twine; return to pan. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil; season with pepper. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey registers 160°F, about 1½ hours. Add grapes to pan if desired during last 20 minutes. Transfer turkey to a cutting board; let rest 20 minutes.

3.
Transfer pan juices to a bowl, and reserve for another use. Heat pan on top of stove over medium heat. Add wine, and cook, stirring, until reduced by half. Stir in stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in finely chopped rosemary, and season with salt and pepper.

4.
Slice turkey; transfer to a platter. Serve with herbed pan sauce and dressing.

grilled chile-citrus turkey breast

SERVES 8

For indirect cooking on a charcoal grill, rake hot coals onto opposite sides before grilling; place a foil pan in the center to catch drippings. Set the turkey on the grates over the pan; grill, covered but with the vents partially opened.

12 dried cascabel chiles (about 2 ounces) or 5 ancho chiles (dried poblanos)

Juice of 2 oranges

Juice of 1 lime

5 garlic cloves

1 small white onion, chopped

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 bone-in turkey breast (4 to 6 pounds)

24 corn tortillas (6 inches each), warmed for serving

1.
Toast chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until slightly softened and pliable, about 5 minutes. Remove seeds and ribs. Place chiles in a small bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes.

2.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer chiles to a blender. Add orange and lime juices, garlic, onion, and salt; blend until smooth. Transfer ¾ cup sauce to a bowl and refrigerate, covered.

3.
Rub turkey with remaining cup sauce. Transfer to a plate, and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours (up to 12 hours).

4.
Preheat grill to medium (if you are using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 5 to 6 seconds). Remove turkey from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

5.
Grill, covered, over indirect heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 165°F, 1 to 1½ hours. (Alternatively, roast in a 400°F oven for about 1 hour 20 minutes.) Transfer to a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with warm tortillas and reserved sauce.

HOW TO WARM TORTILLAS

Heat one tortilla on the trivet of a gas stove over medium heat, flipping once, until the tortilla is toasted, about 40 seconds per side. (If you have space on the grill, you can warm the tortillas there.) Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, and loosely wrap (it will steam and become pliable). Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas, stacking them in the towel. If necessary, reheat the tortillas before serving: Wrap the stack in foil, and place in a 200°F oven.

GAME BIRDS

roasted duck breasts with wild mushroom stuffing and red wine sauce

SERVES 6 TO 8

The USDA recommends cooking duck breasts until they register 170°F. For a moister breast, we cooked ours to 125°F; after it rests, the duck will be cooked to medium-rare. Chicken is also delicious in this recipe: Substitute four 12-ounce boneless skin-on chicken breast halves for the duck. In step 3, don’t score the breasts. To cook, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip the chicken, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the chicken reaches 175°F, about 25 minutes. For the sauce, substitute dry white wine for the red wine.

for the stuffing

2 loaves day-old rustic white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 12 cups)

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

2 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, cut into ¼-inch dice, rinsed well

½ pound celery root, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

12 ounces assorted wild and cultivated mushrooms (such as black trumpet, hedgehog, oyster, chanterelle, cremini, and button mushrooms), thinly sliced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1¼ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

for the duck

4 duck breast halves (each about 14 ounces), cold

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

for the sauce

½ cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons port (optional)

½ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

1.
Make the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until just golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely. Pulse in a food processor (in batches, if needed) until coarse crumbs form, about 15 seconds; transfer to a bowl. Add ¼ cup oil; toss well. Spread the bread crumb mixture on the baking sheet, and bake, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.