Image by Oliver Parini
Roasted Root Vegetable and Artisan Handcrafted Sausage Stuffing
Recipe from The Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook by co-authors Tracey Medeiros and Christy Colasurdo
Recipe by Tracey Medeiros
Serves 12-14
This rustic stuffing is all about subtle layers of flavor. It has a creamy tang from the goat cheese and a sweet earthiness from the roasted rutabaga, red beets, carrot, and onion. The citrus notes from the lemon zest provide an extra punch of brightness, which is the perfect counterpoint to the savory artisan handcrafted sausage.
Serve this stuffing with beef, pork, roast chicken, or turkey.
Roasted Vegetables
1 (2 pound) rutabaga, ends trimmed, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red beets, scrubbed, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, cut into 1/3-inch wide wedges
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh sage or thyme
Kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Connecticut honey, or to taste
1 (1 - to 1 1/2 pound) loaf artisan bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound artisan handcrafted sausage, such as red wine and garlic pork sausage, casings removed
3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 (4-ounce) log chevre cheese
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, or as needed
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Place the rutabaga, beets, carrot, onion, garlic, rosemary, sage in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and honey and toss to combine, making sure to coat all the vegetables well.
3. Spread the vegetable mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside.
4. Place the bread cubes on an ungreased baking sheet and toast in the oven, tossing occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
5. While the bread cubes are toasting, cook the sausage. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling with a fork, until just browned and slightly pink in the center, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Lightly butter a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Mash the garlic with the back of a fork or spoon. Add the vegetable mixture, including the mashed garlic, to the bread cubes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bread stuffing. Stir in the eggs, chevre, lemon zest, and parsley. Gently mix all the ingredients together; do not overmix. Season with salt pepper to taste. Pour the stuffing into the prepared baking dish. Pour the stock over the surface of the stuffing. If the mixture seems too dry, add more stock until the desired consistency is achieved.
7. Lightly coat the dull side of a sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the stuffing and continue to bake until the top is crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let stuffing rest for 5 minutes before serving.