Classic Bread Stuffing (Fine Cooking)

By patticakes

There is nothing optional about this stuffing on our Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

• For a less rich stuffing, omit the last 4 tablespoons of melted
• butter and add a bit more stock.
• 8 Tbs. butter
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 21/2 cups chopped celery, including leaves
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage or 1 l-2 tsp. dried
• 1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme or 1 l-2 tsp. dried
• 2 tsp. celery seeds
• Pinch grated nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 -lb. loaf good-quality white bread, cut into l-2-inch cubes
• ( 1 0 to 12 cups), stale or lightly toasted
• l-2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• l-2 cup stock, milk, or white wine

Preparation

Step 1

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt half the butter.
Add the onion, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, celery seeds, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Cook, covered, until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 min. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, toss the sauteed vegetables with the bread cubes. Season with pepper. Melt the remaining butter. Pour it over the
stuffing, along with the stock, and toss to coat. The stuffing should just hold together when mounded on a spoon.
Stuff the bird following the tips in the box on p. 41 . If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of stock over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 min. to 1 hour. For a
crunchy top, uncover it for the last 1 5 min. of baking.