Wild Rice, Cranberry and Apple Stuffing
Yield: 10 servings

Marinated cranberries, sauteed apples and toasted pecans make this stuffing a traditional accompaniment to any Thanksgiving feast. Fresh sage gives it a savory kick. This is my preferred stuffing recipe, as it's lower in carbohydrates than bread stuffings, unrefined and easy to digest. It can be prepared up to 1 day in advance.

1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
2/3 cup port or apple cider
2 cups uncooked native wild rice
4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced small
1 apple, diced small
3 medium celery ribs, diced small, plus 1/3 cup minced celery leaves
1 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts
4 teaspoons snipped fresh sage
salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, mix the cranberries and port and marinate while the rice is cooking.

Bring the rice and stock to a boil over high heat in a medium sauce pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and enclose with the pan lid (this makes a tight seal for steaming). Flip the edges of the towel onto the lid to keep from touching the burner. The rice is done when the liquid is completely absorbed, 45-50 minutes. Wild rice will be chewy when cooked.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl or casserole dish.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, apples and celery; sautee until tender, 6-7 minutes. Add the celery leaves and cranberries (including soaking liquid) and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Stir the mix into the wild rice, along with the pecans and fresh sage. Taste, adding salt and pepper to bring up the flavors.

If making a day ahead, top the stuffing with 2-3 tablespoons butter. Cover and reheat the stuffing in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Stir and serve warm.

©2006 Copyright Alison Anton - All rights reserved.