Cranberry apple dressing with sausage and ginger
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 4 ½ hours
Makes: 8 to 10 servings
Note: You can substitute about 12 cups large, dried bread cubes or unseasoned croutons for the first step in this recipe. You can substitute uncooked mild Italian sausage or Polish sausage, removed from the casing, for the mild breakfast sausage roll.
2 small loaves sourdough bread or hearty white sandwich bread, total 20 ounces, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 uncooked mild breakfast sausage roll (16 ounces), removed from casing
1 large (10 to 12 ounces) sweet onion, diced 4 ribs celery, diced
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, diced
⅔ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons rubbed sage
2 tablespoons refrigerated ginger purée About 3 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken broth, heated
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon each: dried leaf thyme, freshly ground black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
3 or 4 tablespoons softened butter 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread bread pieces in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake, turning once or twice, until crisped and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool. (Wrap croutons in foil up to a day in advance.) 2. Meanwhile, cook sausage and sweet onion in very large nonstick skillet (or bottom of slow-cooker if it’s heatproof) over medium heat, chopping sausage into small bits and stirring until sausage is cooked through and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Stir celery, green onions, cranberries, sage and ginger purée into sausage mixture. (Refrigerate covered up to two days.)
4. Put bread into a large bowl. Stir in sausage mixture. Stir in enough of the heated broth to nicely moisten everything but not make it soggy (exact amount of broth needed will depend on the type of bread used and how moist you like your dressing). Stir in parsley, thyme, pepper and salt.
5. Generously oil bottom and sides of a 4to 6-quart slow-cooker. Transfer the bread mixture to the slow-cooker. Dot the top with the softened butter. Cover slow-cooker. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until edges are crispy. Dressing can stay on warm in the slow-cooker for up to 2 hours; check for sufficient moisture to prevent dry dressing. Serve hot.