Stuffing versus dressing: East Coast traditions diverge
When it comes to holiday traditions, like most people, I have some ingrained beliefs of what's correct and what's not. So let the stuffing versus dressing debate begin.
Admittedly, I grew up in my own personal stuffing bubble. My mom's way was the only way of making stuffing (emphasis on stuffing) that I knew.
Potatoes? Bread crumbs? It depends on where on the East Coast you call home. For many of us, the stuffing is the unsung hero of the Christmas dinner, and for me, the concept of basing it on anything but torn bread tears at me.
While I have edited my mom's recipe over time (incorporating mushrooms and adding dried fruit) the idea of altering its bread cube base would be a step I take with the caution of someone with 40-plus years of Christmas tradition ingrained in my soul.
To be honest, I was admittedly oblivious until I recently learned of my East Coast neighbour's use of the spud as a central figure to their stuffing recipes, and Newfoundland dressing was a foreign concept, to say the least.
Whether we base our stuffing on bread cubes, potatoes, or make a breadcrumb-based dressing, one element that links us all together is the use of savoury, although I've come to learn in Newfoundland they have their own version of this dried herb known as Mt. Scio Farm's pure savoury. The Newfoundland version is said to have a slightly more spicy, peppery note, compared to the sweet fragrance of summer savoury used elsewhere.
While we debate the virtues of bread versus potato stuffing versus dressing, there's also the debate about whether to cook the stuffing inside the turkey. But perhaps one stuffing/dressing debate for this year's holiday season is enough.
MOM'S SIMPLE STUFFING (4-6 servings)
4 cups cubed white bread
2 mild sausages, cases removed 2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp summer savoury
1 tsp sage
1/4 cup chicken stock* (optional)
Place bread in a large bowl. Place sausage in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. When the sausage is browned, transfer to the bowl of bread along with some of the fat.
Return pan to the stove and lower temperature to medium-low. Add the butter, onion, and celery. Sauté until soft (about eight minutes). Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (30 seconds to one minute). Add vegetables to the bowl along with summer savoury and sage. Toss to combine. Add stock and mix. Place in turkey when ready.
* If cooking outside of the turkey, Mom recommends adding a little more stock to keep the bread moist. Stuffing typically takes about one hour to bake in a casserole dish in an oven set to 350F.
Tips
• Add one beaten egg to help the bread get brown and crispy.
• If feeling a little gourmet, add sliced mushrooms along with your onions and celery.
• Replace the dried sage with a few freshly torn sage leaves for added fragrance and depth of flavour.
• Add a cup or two of dried fruit, such as raisin or cranberries, to take your stuffing to a new level. Alternatively, replace standard white bread with raisin bread.
• Add 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces for a little extra crunch.
MARITIME-STYLE POTATO STUFFING
(6 servings) 2 cups white bread, torn
1 1/2 tbsp summer savoury
1 tsp dried sage or thyme
3 lb yellow flesh potatoes, peeled 1 stick butter
2 small onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Place bread in a large bowl along with dried herbs and toss. Boil potatoes in salted water. Mash with half of the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place remaining butter and onion in a sauté pan, set over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add mashed potatoes and onion mixture to the bowl with bread. Mix thoroughly.
NEWFOUNDLAND-STYLE DRESSING
Recipe contributed by Paula Bugden
(4 to 6 servings)
2 to 3 cups breadcrumbs, depending on the size of the turkey
1 to 2 tsp pure savoury, to taste* 1 egg**
1 tbsp butter
Minced onion, to taste
Mix all ingredients together with a fork in a medium-sized bowl. Simply stuff the turkey with the dressing when ready to cook.
*Mt. Scio Farm’s pure savoury is the much-preferred choice for many Newfoundland cooks. **Using an egg is not common in all parts of Newfoundland. For those who prefer a dry-style dressing, omit the egg.